


SEEING STONE

by emily_kenobi



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Smut, Spice, Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:15:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 47,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28418973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emily_kenobi/pseuds/emily_kenobi
Summary: Ada is a passionate last remnant of what the Jedi Order once was, and The Mandalorian is also one of the last remaining of his kind - both testaments to the Empire's ruthlessness.Two independents, searching for a belonging. And then they meet, and suddenly the world is not so lonely. The only problem is that neither of them can say it.
Relationships: Din Djarin/Ada, Din Djarin/OC, Din Djarin/Original Female Character, Luke Skywalker/OC, Luke Skywalker/Original Female Character(s), Obi-Wan Kenobi/oc
Comments: 16
Kudos: 59





	1. CHAPTER 1: introduction

### CHAPTER 1: introduction

The planet of Tython was one of warmth, beauty and magick in which the **Jedi** woman could always find comfort . The landscape of green was bright and uplifting, and fields of life stretched across the horizon in ways she had not been used to on her home planet. And as **Ada** walked across the rocky ground, she could sense the strength of **The Force** in her veins.

The woman had resided here for many years now, in hopes of finding others that were like her. Ada embraced her independence and loneliness reluctantly, on the foundation that she had no other choice. The young woman was one of the last of her kind, and she spent her time moving from the planets which were most connected to The Force, unwilling to give up.

Brown, mid-length hair fell just below her shoulders in unorganised strands, bouncing as she moved through the mountains in tedium. Hooded blue eyes scanned her surroundings with intense precision, and were framed by dark eyebrows. Ada was still a young woman of twenty-five, and her soft olive- features were a sign of her youth; with only the exception of a rigid scar just above her eyebrow, and one on her forearm.

The Jedi was dressed in dark navy robes, and a tunic which matched beneath them. She wore dark leather boots to keep her on her feet, and a bracelet an old friend had given her _long_ ago. Ada's slender fingers moved to it for a moment, her fingers grazing against it as she remembered the man that she had not seen for over ten years.

She disengaged from the memory, and Ada's eyes narrowed. She moved her gaze and caught sight of something phenomenal in the distance, and her senses filled with instinctual warmth at the sight.

The Force reached out to her heart and projected something delicate, yet very real. She focused on the blue light which emanated upwards from the **Seeing Stone** , and she immediately recognised the presence of another Force user on the planet.

They were calling out to her; to every Force user in the galaxy. She sensed their plea, and Ada immediately began to rush up towards the seeing stone on foot. A small smile appeared on her lips and her heart lifted in excitement as she ran through the rocky terrain desperately.

All of the years she had spent waiting to find another of her kind; and now, she was being answered.

As she approached closer, Ada noticed the Force light shrink back into the stone, and her eyes widened in naïve confusion. Her eyes then drifted upwards, to see an abundance of Imperial droids lowering themselves into the atmosphere in the direction of the mysterious Force user.

A breath escaped her furiously and she accepted the challenge, yanking a silver hilt out of her belt and igniting the weapon instinctually. Her forefinger and thumb delicately twisted the lightsaber into a reverse grip by her hip, the weapon becoming something of an extra limb after years of learning. And then, she set herself into a sprint toward the peak of the mountain.

She was beginning to sense other presences from the other side of the Seeing Stone: she felt worry, panic, and most of all remorse. But the Jedi rapidly dismissed them, too encompassed by her own goal to uncover the mystery of the Force light. 

Ada reached the top of the mountain just as the Imperial droids were landing onto the pavement, their metal feet clattering around the Seeing Stone. Her eyes swiftly landed on a small, green creature laid in the centre of it, exhausted. _**A child.**_

Upon seeing the target she hoped to protect, her maternal instincts became the driving force against her enemy. She furiously threw herself at one of the Imperial droids and swiped her lightsaber across its head, watching as it hissed. Sparks flew from the droid, and the droid crumbled to the ground.

She then spun around and kicked another in the chest, using all of her strength. Her hand tightened around her lightsaber when the droid remained unmoved, and she realised just how strong they were. Before she could make another move, the large black droids began to take off back into the air.

Ada could sense the presence of multiple life forms in close proximity, but she still did not bother to acknowledge them. Her eyes were watching one of the many Imperial troopers, which was clasping the Force-sensitive child in its arms as it rose into the atmosphere.

Without hesitating, the young Jedi jumped onto the Seeing Stone and threw herself into the air, kicking off one of the concrete pillars and flying upwards toward the troopers. She used her free hand to grasp one of their feet, and let out a breath with the exertion.

Her lightsaber bathed her face in a sheet of blue as she aggressively swung it at one of the other droids, which only seemed to speed up. They were rising slower than she expected, and she thought that she might be able to grab the child before they were too high; she had always been brilliant at landing high jumps.

_"Initiating Self Destruct Sequence,"_ the Imperial droid announced, and Ada let out a frustrated noise.

Her eyes shifted and looked up at the small, green child one more time. And then, she let go of the droid and found herself dropping through the air in defeat. She landed delicately back on the ground, the rock crumbling beneath her feet.

Ada scanned the vicinity and tensed when she found an armoured man stood on the other side of the Seeing Stone, a blaster pointed directly at her. His armour already looked impressive at first glance, but upon further inspection Ada realised that it was pure beskar. She twirled her blue lightsaber between her fingers and took a step closer, to which he stiffened.

The Jedi could sense so much in his presence, and yet so much less than the usual person. The warrior was in pain, devastated by the loss of the green child. Rage was fuelling him, as well as determination; Ada could see that these were the feelings of a father figure.

And there was something else, that she couldn't quite comprehend. Her mind was on the edge of something, but the Jedi couldn't grasp it. His mind was almost guarded, protected. She barely heard a _whisper_ of his thoughts, yet felt everything.

"You are a **Mandalorian**?" Ada asked softly, tilting her head to the side as her eyes scanned the armour. Her pupils darted dangerous quickly, and landed back on his helmet. 

His defence had not fallen from her words, and he simply stared back at her tensely. Ada narrowed her eyes as she looked into the black visor of his helmet, where she assumed his eyes would be. She felt intimidated by his silence, despite knowing that he would not hurt her.

"My father was close with a pacifist leader of Mandalore. I wish I could have seen the planet before the Empire.." her warm voice faltered as she stopped herself from speaking.

The Mandalorian before her was not fond of speaking, but she sensed that he was growing calmer upon realising she was harmless. To him.

_"Who are you?"_

His deep voice crackled behind the modulator of his helmet, but Ada's expression changed in response to it. It was thick and low, and something that was instantly appealing to the ears. It was not something she had expected, despite how intimidating he already seemed.

"Somebody to trust," Ada answered vaguely.

The Mandalorian took another step closer, and the young woman swallowed.

" _Trust_ does not come easily to me," he told her darkly, but he finally lowered the large blaster in his hand.

"Nor I."

There was a pause, before the Mandalorian's helmet lowered, as if inspecting the blue lightsaber that was still ignited in her right hand. A moment passed, and Ada assessed the emotions lying within the man. He was so different to others she had sensed before him; he was difficult to read, and it frustrated her.

"Jedi?" he finally asked, and Ada was beginning to understand that he was a man of very few words.

Ada's lightsaber hissed as it retracted back into its hilt, and a sweet smile played on her lips. The Mandalorian was surprised by the kindness in her eyes, aftering witnessing her briefly in combat.

Against the Imperial droids, she had been reckless and furious; she had fought with passion, and absolute ruthlessness. And now, she was gentle and soft in speech.

"I'm surprised you know of my kind," Ada responded. "We have all but vanished into the shadows since the Empire."

There was another pause as the Mandalorian processed her words.

"I know the feeling."

Ada's expression softened, and she stared at the man in front of her properly for the first time. He held himself with confidence, the blaster at his hip just in case the female turned against him at any second. And although she couldn't quite read him as well as others, she could feel that he was emotionally and physically drained.

She knew the history of Mandalore well enough to understand that the man in front of her empathised on being the last of a kind. The warriors were far and few across the galaxy now, just like the Jedi. The two ways of life had similarly been extinguished by the Empire, and it was exhausting hiding from them.

Ada stared into the darkness of his visor once again, then her eyes travelled over to the Seeing Stone.

"The child," Ada said quietly. "Is he yours?"

The Mandalorian remained silent as he looked back at her, and she could see that he did not trust her; even knowing what she was. She smiled up at him as she walked closer, and her blue eyes flickered up and down. Growing more comfortable after the brief introduction, her true personality began to show.

"I can take any information I please from your mind, using The Force," she threatened with a smile, and he straightened.

"If you do that, I will take you to The Empire cold. I'm sure there is a lot of money on your head," he murmured, and his modulator crackled.

Ada was not quite used to people matching her sweet threats with similar animosity, and the corners of her lips turned upwards in approval of his attitude. He seemed interesting to her; the perfect balance between danger and protection.

It had been a long while since Ada had met somebody that could make her smile.

"No mind reading, got it," she noted with a raise of the eyebrows. "This is good. Setting boundaries is very important for partn-"

"What?" he cut her off, moving away. "I work alone."

"Look, Mandalorian," Ada sighed. "You want your child back, don't you?"

The Mandalorian said nothing, and only stared back at the woman in agitation. She could sense his discomfort, and she wondered why he was so against working with other people. She understood in some ways; she had been independent for years now. But working with someone with a similar motive, and with different strengths, was always sensible.

"You want to rescue your child from the Empire, and _I_ want to find others of my kind. The boy has a rare gift with the Force, I want to help him. And I know you want that too, because you brought him here."

Ada motioned toward the Seeing Stone, which the child had used to connect himself to other Force-users in the galaxy.

The Mandalorian let out a sigh, which crackled through the helmet. "Are all Jedi so infuriatingly persistent?"

Ada narrowed her blue eyes. "Are all Mandalorians so infuriatingly stubborn?"

The Mandalorian paused for a long moment, and simply watched her through his helmet. And then, he walked forward and held out his hand. Ada smiled, and took it lightly. His gloved hand almost doubled hers in size, and she felt something subtle yet profound as they touched.

"You have a name, Jedi?" the Mandalorian asked, as her touch lingered on his.

**"Ada."**

"Ada ... ?"

The brunette gently shook her head, and withdrew her hand from his, but they remained in close proximity. He looked down at her, and she could swear she could almost see the suspicious expression on his face behind the beskar helmet.

"No full names. And no questions."

The Mandalorian slowly nodded his head, seemingly appreciating the mutual privacy that the Jedi was advocating for. He wasn't sure if he was going to enjoy the lack of knowledge on who she was; but he also knew that this meant she would not ask so many questions about him. And he liked that idea.

"And you, beskar head?"

The mocking name caught the Mandalorian off guard for a moment, and behind the helmet he narrowed his eyes down at the beautiful woman. She was equal parts smart, beautiful, and skilful. This could be dangerous for him.

**"Din."**

_a/n: hello everyone, thank u for reading! if you have criticism pls make it constructive and kind, not a whole essay on everything that made my story terrible :-)_


	2. CHAPTER 2: allies

### CHAPTER 2: allies

Ada gently tucked the hilt of her lightsaber back into her belt as she followed her new ally back down the other side of the Tython mountain. The rocks crumbled beneath her small feet, but they crunched beneath the immense weight of the Mandalorian. In his **beskar** armour, the man towered over her at six foot.

Her blue eyes scanned the skies for any sign of further Imperial ships, but she saw nothing; until she noticed the black mark which marred the otherwise beautiful terrain of her planet. The blackness was in the shape of a ship, and she watched the Mandalorian walk over to it. She felt a wave of grief pass by him for a moment, and her eyes softened.

She then saw the two people that were stood close by him, on guard when they noticed her. One was a tanned woman with long, dark hair tied into plaits. The other looked like another Mandalorian, but his armour was a mix of red and green. He was not wearing his helmet, and he was shorter, and more stout than the other man.

"Hello," Ada greeted them warmly, and they both stared back at her without words. She scoffed. "I hope you aren't the welcoming committee."

"Who are you?" the woman asked her venomously, and Ada's smile dropped. Her small hand hovered over her lightsaber hilt, and she scowled at the woman.

"She's a Jedi," the previous Mandalorian told them, coming up behind her. His large hand moved to her waist and pulled her beside him firmly, and Ada resisted the urge to pull away. She looked over at him, and noticed he was holding a long beskar spear in his other hand. "This is all that survived," he told them.

"A Jedi?" the older man asked, his scarred features scanning Ada. He seemed to also know of her kind, and she was again surprised.

"Yes. She will help me retrieve the child." The Mandalorian then turned his attention back toward Ada, and she looked at him expectantly.

"Ada, this is Boba Fett, an old **bounty hunter** ," he told her, motioning toward the man. "And this is Fennec Shand, she is an assassin."

"A good one?" Ada asked innocently, her blue eyes meeting Fennec's. The assassin glared back at her, and Ada let out a small laugh. "You are _so_ easy to offend."

"Enough," the Mandalorian warned the Jedi, who looked back up at her new ally with a smile. Although his expression could not be seen, and his voice was hard, Ada could sense very well that a small part of him was amused by her provocation of Fennec. "Our deal is complete."

"Not quite," Boba Fett rebutted. Ada instinctively narrowed her brown eyes, and moved closer to her recently acquired companion. The two had only known each other for the matter of twenty minutes, but the Jedi had always been loyal; and if she was going to find her way to the Child, she needed the Mandalorian.

"How so?" the Mandalorian's voice crackled beneath his modulator, and inside he tensed at the proximity of the Jedi.

"We agreed that in exchange for my armour, we will ensure the safety of the child," Boba Fett explained.

"The child that was taken?" Ada asked gently, looking between the two.

Boba looked at the brunette and offered her a subtle nod. "Until he is returned to you safely, we are in your debt."

The Mandalorian glanced at his new ally for a moment to gauge her expression, and found that she was assessing the two new additions cautiously. She was a smart woman, he could tell that much; and he could tell so far that she was trustworthy. Though, that didn't mean he did trust her.

Ada looked at the black visor of his helmet for a moment, deciding whether he was worth using her Force abilities on just yet. She deliberated for only a second, before finally reaching out to his signature and quickly finding his mind.

They could be of use to us.

The Mandalorian attempted to repress his reaction, not allowing the other two to realise she had communicated to him in such a phenomenal way. It was not like something he had ever experienced before, and he worried that he did not understand the Force well enough to work with someone who used it.

"I appreciate all the help I can get. Thank you," the Mandalorian spoke roughly, fighting the urge to look at the Jedi.

"Would you like to travel with us on Slave I?" Boba asked, referring to his ship.

" _No_ ," Ada responded quickly, thinking of her own pride and joy. She prided herself on her piloting abilities, as well as how well conditioned her own ship was still in. "I will fly alone. My ship goes undetected by the Empire and New Republic's systems, she is a ghost."

The woman turned around quickly and began walking into the direction of her own ship, which was around a mile West from where they stood. Her wavy hair and navy robes billowed in the wind as she walked over the mossy terrain, and she thought that nobody would follow her for several moments.

And then, after making his decision, Ada heard heavy footsteps clinking after her. The Mandalorian fell into step with her, towering over the female Jedi.

"I'm surprised you did not choose to travel with Boba. He seems more of the silent type, much more on your level."

The Mandalorian's beskar helmet tilted as he offered her a side-glance, but he said nothing. Ada's mouth stretched delicately into a smile, as he proved her point perfectly.

"Jedi," he said after a few minutes walking in silence. She turned her head to look at him, and hummed in response. "Are you aware of the danger ahead?"

"Of course," Ada said, slowing her step. "Though, I think Moff Gideon is in more danger than we are."

"You do?" the Mandalorian pushed her over-confidence, and Ada completely halted into standing. She looked up at the armoured man in front of her with a small smile, and raised her eyebrows.

"Has the beskar got into your brain?" she quipped. "We are a Mandalorian, a Jedi, an Assassin, and an ex-bounty hunter. The _only_ thing Gideon has is an Empire."

The Mandalorian stared back at her for a second in complete silence, processing her words. She was the most entertaining person that the man had discovered across many of his jobs working bounties. He scoffed from behind the helmet, and the sound crackled against his modulator.

"The _only_ thing?" he repeated her words in amusement, enjoying the light-heartedness of the exchange. The Jedi radiated joy and exhilaration, and it was difficult to not absorb her personality at least a little. He then moved his helmet and surveyed the terrain quietly.

"It's around a mile that way," Ada caught his thought process, and motioned towards the West delicately.

"I thought I told you no mind reading," the Mandalorian warned, to which Ada rolled her blue eyes.

"I wasn't mind reading, it's basic intuition," she told him, then moved forward. "I don't break my promises."

The Mandalorian caught her wrist in his gloved hand and pulled her back, and the young woman glared up at him for a very small second before her features softened again in tedium. There was a very small fire in her that was ignited by certain things, and he was not ignorant to it.

"You don't like to be touched?" he asked her quietly, his voice low. Ada stared back at him, but said nothing. There was something very delicate forming between them, but she refused to acknowledge it. "I'm not walking all the way to your ship. Fett is waiting for us."

"Oh _dear_ ," Ada responded with sarcastic attitude, pretending to look around. Little known to her, the Mandalorian smirked down at her from behind his helmet. "I seem to have forgotten my flying jetpack! I guess we h-"

The Mandalorian cut her off and reluctantly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as both of their bodies were lifted into the air. A low hiss emanated from the jetpack he wore on his back, which the young woman seemed to have not quite noticed. Ada let out a panicked breath despite her usual bravery, and wrapped her own arms around the Mandalorian's neck.

"You _scoundrel!"_ she yelled against the wind. She closed her blue eyes and pressed her face into his neck, feeling overcome with unease. "Oh _Maker_ , don't drop me. Oh-"

"Calm down," he responded, but she could have sworn she could hear a smile in his voice. "So heights are a weakness too?"

"Are you keeping a list?" she snapped, daring to open an eye.

"Don't look d-"

"I'm going to die," Ada whispered to herself as she looked down, completely disregarding the Mandalorian's words of advice. Her stomach flipped as she dwelled on how high up they were; the world she had grown used to looked so small from up here, and everything was a blur.

"If I _wanted_ to kill you, I would do so in combat," he told her.

She looked up at his helmet visor with a challenging expression, tightening her arms around his neck. "You would try."

The Mandalorian ignored her rebuke and looked into the distance, searching the bewilderness for any signs of Ada's home. And then his eyes settled. "You fly an Old Republic ship?" he asked.

"It was my father's." Ada told him quietly, and felt relieved when they began lowering back into the atmosphere toward the ground. She looked down and saw the familiarity of her own private little village, and then her golden and white ship. She liked to call it **Obs** \- her own little nickname. 

The very second her toes touched the ground, the Jedi ripped herself out of the Mandalorian's hold and pushed him backwards furiously. He did not budge, which only ignited even more frustration in her. She balled her hand into a fist and punched his chest plate angrily, ignoring the pain that ricocheted through her wrist.

"You will _never_ do that again!" she yelled, moving away from him.

The Mandalorian stared back at her, and she could have sworn she heard a small chuckle from behind the beskar helmet. She scowled at him, and spun around with nothing else left to say. Ada entered into her ship quietly, breathing in the familiar air of her home. Almost in the very moment, her frustration was forgotten. 

"Who was your father?" the Mandalorian asked quietly as he looked around the ship, and realised how high-class everything seemed. It was luxuriously furnished, and in perfect condition.

Ada's blue eyes flickered to the brown robes that were hung on one of the hooks in her room, which she had not touched in ten years. She gently closed the door so that it could not be seen, and looked at her new companion with seriousness.

"No questions, remember?" she reminded him.

"None at all?"

"Not if you don't want me asking about your Creed. Or your _helmet_."

A moment passed between the two as they stared at each other, and a small smile was playing on Ada's pink lips. Her chest tightened and she looked away, breaking the contact before he could; even though they were not even making eye contact, she still felt all too vulnerable beneath his gaze. Little did she know, that every single time she stared into the visor - she caught his brown eyes perfectly. And it felt like the first time he had been seen since he was a child. 

"So what's your plan, Jedi?" 

"I'm not sure," she responded quickly, moving towards her cockpit. As they passed a small ladder, the young woman pointed towards it. "The second room is up there, untouched. Feel free to it."

"Thank you," he said, taking a second to glance up the ladder. He then followed her into the cockpit, and noticed how comfortable she looked there.

Ada flicked a few switches, and the engines beneath them began to purr gently. "I need to go to Yavin 4 for fuel before anything. Is that okay?"

"Yavin 4? The battleground of-"

"The Battle of Yavin, yes," she answered quietly, scanning his helmet for any sign of discomfort. "It's an _abandoned_ rebel base, now. There are only a few others there."

"You're a rebel?"

"Of _course_ not," Ada replied tensely, unsure why it had bothered her. "Nor am I their enemy."

"The New Republic are searching for me," the Mandalorian told her hesitantly.

Ada patted the seat beside her in the cockpit, her blue eyes wide with kindness and trust. "If they even begin to suspect you, we will leave. I'm with you, Mando. Not them."

The Mandalorian paused, processing her words. Before finally walking forward and taking the passenger seat reluctantly.

Ada smiled at him warmly, then turned to her communications system. _"Come in, Boba Fett. Boba Fett, come in."_


	3. CHAPTER 3: customs

### CHAPTER 3: customs

Ada glanced to the side, and her innocent blue eyes landed on the man that lounged in the passenger seat to her ship. His metal boots were rested up on the dash, and his gloved hands were clasped together in his lap. She assumed that the intimidating man was attempting to sleep, and she looked away before she grew uncomfortable.

The two had been journeying to Yavin for several hours now, and Ada was beginning to grow somewhat uncomfortable in his presence. It wasn't tedium or even fear, but it was the fact that the Jedi struggled to sense his feelings so much. She had never met somebody that was so stubborn, that even their unconscious mind was refusing to give in.

Ada had grown up in a world where she used The Force to predict people; and The Mandalorian was utterly unpredictable to her, for whatever reason.

She sighed softly and moved a curl out of her face, glancing out of the vast viewport in front of them at the galaxy she had not seen in several months now. She had lived as an outcast, alone on Tython for 9 months. She smiled to herself at the thought, thinking of her late father. And then her features darkened, and she looked back at the control panel.

"You seem on edge," a low voice pulled her from her thoughts, and Ada glanced at the man who had spoken. She had almost forgotten the gravelly, thick sound of his voice.

"I thought you were asleep."

"I was briefly," Mando responded. "Your wallowing woke me,"

" _Wallowing_?" Ada repeated incredulously, but there was no hiding the bright amusement in her eyes.

It seemed that the companionship between Ada and Mando was forming a foundation of tension, and light-hearted bickering. The Jedi had always been facetious and witty with anybody she had met; but she had never met someone quite similar enough to her. And the armoured man, whose face she didn't wonder about yet, matched her wit seamlessly.

"Are you tired?" Mando asked.

"A little, but that comes with who I am."

"You should sleep."

There was a demanding tone in his voice, which Ada did not react well to. She dismissed his instruction, and instead turned it back on him.

"If you would be more comfortable, go sleep in your quarters," she offered. "At least you could remove that _silly_ tin can."

Mando paused and surveyed her for a moment, dismissing the insult. "Why couldn't I remove it here?"

"Because I would see your face," Ada responded dumbfoundedly, as though it was the most obvious answer. She then stared at him in confusion. There was a small moment before anyone said anything. 

"How do you know Mandalorian customs?"

"I fear you underestimate my intellect, _Mando_ ," she smiled. "I told you I wouldn't ask any questions, but that doesn't mean I don't already know the answers."

Mando did not respond, but instead he made a disgruntled noise behind his helmet. The sound crackled against his modulator, and Ada tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She looked away, uncomfortable with the way he was staring at her. She didn't like that she couldn't see his face; she didn't want to know what he looked like, but it would be nice to read his facial expressions. 

With Ada, it was easy for her to push people too far with her comments. And so she had learned to read social cues from peoples' expressions, on when they were reaching their limit.

She also enjoyed how effortlessly he responded to her wit with his own - and how unaffected he always seemed by her bright personality. She would have liked to be able to make eye contact; perhaps the discourse between them would feel more meaningful, more intimate.

"You don't play fair, Jedi,"

"Nor do you," she looked at him again, but this time her expression hardened. "Do you think I didn't notice you slip my _weapon_ out of my belt when you carried me on Tython?"

There was a silence as Mando looked at her through his helmet visor, stunned by her words. This was a woman that matched him in every way possible, and he was quickly learning not to underestimate her in any form. He looked away from her burning blue eyes, and said nothing. He had taken the lightsaber with pure intentions; he simply wanted to inspect it. Ada knew this - she had sensed that he did not intend to cause her any harm. But she also wanted him to know that she was sharper than he thought. 

"If you were curious, you could have just asked," she told him, her tone softening a little as she looked back outside of the viewport.

When she glanced away, he took the opportunity to scan her delicate features. Her side profile was as beautiful as her front, and the Mandalorian quickly caught his thoughts before they became anything more. He would not allow himself to recognise anything more than her simple beauty; to dwell on it would be dangerous for both of them.

Mando retrieved the lightsaber hilt out of his pocket and attempted to hand it to her, but she moved it back towards him without making any contact. He was confused for a moment, before he realised it had been The Force.

"It's fine," she told him. "The Jedi call them **Lightsabers** ; each are powered by their own individual **kyber crystal** ," she explained. "They can cut through anything, with one exception."

Mando paused. "Beskar."

" _Beskar_ ," Ada confirmed, with a smile. "Which means _you_ are invincible."

"Not if you come for me at night," he added to her empty threat, and Ada pursed her lips in amusement. She moved her blue eyes to his dark visor, and raised her eyebrows.

"Thanks for the inspiration," she said. "But I would _never_ do you the dishonour. You deserve a warrior's death."

Mando said nothing, and Ada's mouth stretched into a grin. "Which is why I will have to take you down in battle, with your tin helmet on."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

A violent sound filled the room for a moment, followed by the gentle 'whurr' sound of a lightsaber. Ada let out a very small, barely noticeable giggle as she glanced over at the blue blade which lit up the cockpit, the hilt still in Mando's large gloved hand. He watched her reaction through his visor, amused by the fact that she did not see him as a threat at all.

He knew that it was likely because she sensed his every intention; he could see that despite her attitude, the young woman was still intimidated by him. But in spite of that, she still found a way to trust him - to trust The _Force_ \- and trust that he would not kill, and flee with her ship.

He also wondered whether it was because she knew she would win in combat between them.

"You cannot fight me without your lightsword,"

" _Lightsaber_ ," Ada corrected with a scowl.

Mando made a low noise which crackled behind the mask, and she wondered if it had been a small laugh. The corners of her mouth twitched at the thought, enjoying his company more than she liked to admit.

"I know, Ada."

It was very strange to both of them, that they had fallen into their strange companionship so quickly. Mando had been a lone wolf since he could last remember, struggling to trust anybody he came across. He found that working with others only pulled him behind; it slowed him down, and he made less money.

And Ada, on the contrary, had not enjoyed a second of being alone. She was alone through no choice of her own, and dreamed of one day forming a group of Jedi that she could trust wholeheartedly. Nevertheless, she was not used to working with others - her mind worked in unique ways that others struggled to keep up with.

And yet somehow, thrown into spontaneity, the two had connected almost instantly on the basis of finding the Force-sensitive child. And they seemed to have connected on every other level, too. In fact, though they walked completely different paths, it was almost like they were the same person in personality.

"You can't have been alive during cull of the Jedi," Mando said quietly. "Who trained you?"

Ada narrowed her eyes at his question, her mind instantly thinking of the promise they had made the second they had decided to work together. "My father," she told him vaguely.

Mando sighed from behind his beskar helmet, and moved his head to the side. "Let me guess. No questions about him?"

"No."

"Okay."

The two travelled in silence for several more minutes, before Ada's eyelids began to droop with the newfound peace. Lack of conversation had reminded her of how tired she truly was, and the Jedi's head lolled slightly. When she felt her head become too heavy, she let in a breath and her eyes re-opened in alarm.

She looked around quickly, and found Mando staring right at her. She wished she could see something; even just his mouth. She knew that it was never a possibility, and she didn't care; she just longed to know whether he was amused, bemused, or neutral.

"Let's hear it," she quipped, waiting for his remarks.

"Why don't we both retire to our rooms for a while?"

"Why?"

"If you stay awake any longer, I think you will collapse and injure yourself," he told her.

Ada narrowed her eyes stubbornly. "I'm fine. Besides, we will be there in four hours."

"So sleep for four hours," he coerced, his voice becoming more authoritative as he spoke. Ada scanned him for a second, remembering how tall he stood when they were not sat together. The change in his tone was enough to remind her of how intimidating he was - and she had not even seen him in battle yet.

Ada hesitated, her arms crossed over her chest in stubbornness.

And so, the Mandalorian finally lost his patience and got to his feet, scooping his arms beneath the young woman's legs and back. She was hoisted from her seat and she let out a noise of protest, wriggling against him in frustration.

Mando carried her to the door at the other end of the ship and turned, using his back to nudge it open. Ada was quiet in his arms now, scowling down at his chest in defeat. She knew that if she could be bothered, she could have fought back more passionately; but the truth was that she did want to have a little nap. She just didn't want to show weakness.

"You are so stubborn," Mando told her as he planted her onto her bed softly, and moved away.

"I am?!" she rebutted incredulously, her blue eyes wide.

"Go to sleep," he commanded as he walked out of her room. The Jedi picked up one of her pillows and threw it at him in exasperation, to which he stopped to look at her.

"Oh no, a _pillow_. Beskar's _only_ weakness," he said monotonously, his low voice crackling behind the mask.

"I am going to-"

"Goodnight, Jedi."

He closed her bedroom door before she could say anything, and the young woman was left to simply narrow her eyes at the cream walls. But the thing that she did not notice - perhaps because she didn't want t - was that a small, fond smile was playing on her lips.


	4. CHAPTER 4: yavin moon

### CHAPTER 4: yavin moon

The brunette Jedi lowered her aircraft into the atmosphere gently, with a small smile on her face as she surveyed the beautiful moon planet out of her viewport. The green landscape never failed to satisfy her, and she almost envied the remaining Rebels whom still resided on the base.

Her blue eyes shifted to the controls, and she began to follow the ordinary protocol of switching the main engines back down and bypassing the generator. She moved automatically now, after years of experience, and barely thought about what she was doing.

Ada lifted herself up and grasped her lightsaber hilt from the dash, which she assumed had been left there by her new road-trip companion. She clinked it against the ladders leading to his room, her blue looking up toward the second floor.

"We're here, beskar head," Ada called gently, and heard a low grunt from above, followed by the sound of heavy metal moving.

"Good _morning_ ," Ada greeted when she caught sight of the Mandalorian shifting down the ladders. He looked exactly the same; armoured with pure beskar, and the spear tucked into the armour behind him. He reached the bottom and turned to look at her, and said absolutely nothing. But, the woman was learning quickly that silence was very in character for him.

"Could you stay in the cockpit and supervise my ship while I scout some fuel?"

There was a pause, before Mando moved forward and brushed passed her toward the small ramp leading outside. Ada narrowed her eyes and followed after him, taking the action as a very firm 'no.'

"This is a first for me," Mando told her lowly, as he quickly scanned the green landscape. He noted the large trees that stretched into the sky, as well as the ferns and shrubs littering the pathways.

"Working alone?"

" _No_ ," Mando told her. "Yavin-4."

"Oh," she nodded, then found a smile when she noticed a person in bright orange walking over the hangar. She noticed the dark brown, thick curls of the man and instantly recognised him.

The Jedi moved with calculated speed towards the Rebel, and his own mouth stretched into a smile when he noticed her.

"Ada? Ada K-"

"Dameron!" Ada cried, tensing when he wrapped his large arms around her. She was familiar with her old friend, it was true, but she had never been a hugger. She then turned to her new companion with a gesture. "Mando, this is Kes Dameron. Kes, this is my friend."

" _Friend_?" Kes asked, looking between the two. He then noted the beskar armour, and the tense way he stood. "You're a Mandalorian! I heard about covert on Nevarro, I am sorry."

"Don't be," Mando responded diplomatically, though Ada could sense that the man was severely on edge.

"How have you been?" 

"Well, Shara and I are withchild," he told her, and Ada's blue eyes brightened with glee. "Nothing else much, we're just holing up here until the remains of the Empire dissolve."

"Oh, _Kes_! That is wonderful for you,"

"It truly is. What brings you to Yavin-4?" he finally asked, scanning Mando curiously.

"I am in need of fuel," Ada told him, taking her blue eyes off her old friend to scan the hangar for cannisters.

"Oh!" Kes said, his smile dropping slightly. "Our fuel transports aren't due for several hours. Do you mind waiting? I can suggest someplace closer, on the outer rim?"

"I'm not sure she could make it," Ada responded, looking at Mando carefully. She could feel his tension rising with the news, and she feared he was going to combust.

They were racing against time to retrieve the Child before Moff Gideon could do anything to hurt him, and she feared that her small detour was consuming valuable time. There was nothing she could do, but she still felt guilt. Boba Fett and his assassin sidekick were on the planet closest, taking some of their own time to prepare for battle. 

"We will wait," Mando told him impatiently, grabbing Ada's wrist and moving her back into the direction of her ship. She could sense his anger, and the Jedi ripped herself from his grasp with a scowl.

"If you have something to say, just _say_ it," she snapped.

Mando shook his head, and her blue eyes bore into the dark visor of his helmet. Like expected, the warrior only looked back at her and remained silent. And so in her frustration, Ada chose to resort to The Force to find her answer. She narrowed her eyes and focused, feeling the power surge through her as she connected herself to his mind. It was still barely penetrable somehow; she caught only glimpses of his thoughts, and it took effort.

_Grogu needs her, I shouldn't provoke-_

Ada's gaze softened, and she disengaged from his mind almost instantly. But it was too late; Mando's helmet moved and his postured stiffened.

"What did you just do?"

"I think you know," Ada quipped with a raise of the eyebrow, inwardly regretting her actions. But she wouldn't let him know that; she couldn't be weak.

Mando came forward and slowly wrapped one gloved hand around her throat, and he towered over her. The grip was not tight enough to restrict her breathing, but it was certainly enough to remind her that he was just as powerful as she - just in different ways. The atmosphere darkened between them, and Ada simply peered up at his visor. She had forgotten just how intimidating the Mandalorian could be when he wanted, and it struck something very warm somewhere inside of her. She couldn't explain the reaction; it wasn't fear, but something else - something magnetising to the touch. 

"I _warned_ you about using your Jedi tricks on me," Mando said lowly, breaking the woman out of her physical trance.

"I wouldn't worry too much," she said quietly. "Your mind is guarded. I don't understand it, but your thoughts are quite safe from me."

Mando paused, processing her words in silence. Before finally, he removed his hand from her throat. The moment they broke contact, Ada reached for the hilt of her lightsaber and ignited it, twirling the handle into a reverse grip in her right hand. She then pulled it up towards him threateningly, her gaze dark.

"Put your hands on me like that again, and I _will_ show you the power of The Force."

Mando glanced down at the blue lightsaber, then back up at the feisty woman whom wielded it. He was not surprised by her boldness; he had expected his enemy sorcerers to be powerful and daring just like he was. But her attitude was always somehow out of character. Ada had such a bubbly, exhilarated personality that her dark strength seemed almost wrong.

Ahsoka Tano had been quite similar to this woman, in many aspects. Ahsoka had been untrusting at first, and was also powerful and ruthless in combat. And yet she had also been compassionate when it came to the child, and kind to those who deserved it. Perhaps this was the way of the Jedi.

Mando knew that he should not provoke the Jedi further; he feared that she would lose her patience with his attitude and leave, abandoning their mission to retrieve the child. But he _couldn't_ help himself.

"Did you not appreciate the threat from somebody stronger than you?"

"Your confidence is misplaced," Ada told him, her grip tightening around her lightsaber. But she couldn't deny that there was something alluring about the confidence in his tone. 

Mando suddenly whipped his arm behind him and drew the beskar spear between his hands, crashing it up against the blue laserbeam passionately. Ada raised her eyebrows, but held steady; her expression did not falter as she stared at the man.

"I've heard tales of the _great_ Warriors of Mandalore. Care to demonstrate what deemed such a reputation?"

Mando furiously twisted the spear around and met her weapon again, this time with much more passion, and a smile played on her lips as she caught the emotion. He was desperate to prove he was as good as her; even better. She ducked beneath his spear and twisted her body, her saber colliding back against the pure beskar effortlessly. Her movements were quick, agile, but utterly reckless.

There was not much strategy to the way the Jedi fought; she worked on emotion and spontaneity, using The Force to guide her. She caught sight of an empty fuel cannister discarded along the hangar, and reached out her free hand with a smirk.

The fuel cannister popped open and screeched, catching the Mandalorian's attention. Ada chose the distraction as an opportunity to move closer and attack, but her opponent was on the same page; he caught her lightsaber with the spear and pushed back, surprising Ada.

"Impressive," Mando commented as he used all of his strength to push against her weapon.

They stared at one another as their blades hissed, and the warmth of her saber edged closer towards her face. And then, the Jedi stepped to the side aggressively. Mando stumbled forward and disregarded his spear for a moment, and a ball of flames projected from his armoured arm plate.

Ada used the Force to re-direct the flames away from her, and the two stood breathlessly staring at one another. Before finally, Ada smiled.

"Matched by a _woman_ , Mando?"

Mando moved closer to her, and Ada's chest tightened at the proximity. He moved his gloved hand up to her face for a moment, wiping away a piece of her hair.

"I don't underestimate you because you're woman, Jedi. You fight well."

Ada was about to respond, when she sensed incoming and the Mandalorian kicked her legs beneath her. She then felt hands wrap around her wrists and push her against the concrete on the floor, and she struggled furiously out of his hold. When she realised that she had been defeated, the woman stilled and glared up at her opponent. He may not be skilled with the Force as her, but his physical strength perhaps doubled hers. 

_"Just not well enough."_ He added. There was something rough in his tone, and she searched his beskar helmet with an odd expression passing her features.

"That was _unfair_ ," she told him, ignoring their closeness. Mando's hold lingered on her for a moment, and Ada furrowed her eyebrows.

"Consider us even."

"Or perhaps I'll keep tally," Ada suggested. "It seems like it's 1-1,"

"Actually, it's 1-2 to you," he corrected, tapping her head. His other hand was still wrapped around her wrist, but neither of them seemed to notice. Ada narrowed her eyes, waiting for clarity. "You have broken your promise twice."

"And you have stolen my lightsaber, and dishonoured me in battle. 2-2," she retorted.

Mando stared back down at her, then finally got his feet and pulled her back up with him. When they were stood, he let go of her wrist and moved away from her, still saying nothing. Ada was smiling smugly, and began moving back towards her ship to wait for the fuel to arrive.

The Mandalorian followed after her, secretly smirking behind his beskar helmet at the bold woman. He enjoyed discourse with her - she was entertaining, and somehow always twisted the narrative to suit her. And somehow within only a day, the lone wolf was beginning to trust somebody other than himself.

"Want a drink?" Ada asked as they entered back into her Old Republic ship, and she sauntered over to the common area in the centre. There were two sofas, a small table and a mini-fridge in the middle, as well as some cushions she had scattered across the sofas.

Mando followed her wordlessly and took a seat against the wall, lounging his arm over the back of the sofa. Ada noticed the masculinity in the way he sat, and quickly glanced away, feeling uncharacteristically nervous.

She poured an extremely alcoholic drink and passed it over to him, watching as some of the liquid spilled over the edge of the cup. She then poured one for herself, and sat opposite him quietly. She took her first sip, and closed her eyes in bliss as the warm drink washed down her throat.

"That's good," she said quietly, taking another swig. She then looked over at her companion, and her blue eyes settled on his beskar helmet in realisation.

"Oh," she mumbled. She leaned over the table, and pushed the drink closer to him with a small smile. "Take it to your room, I _insist_."

"Your company is more satisfactory than drink," Mando responded lowly, pushing it back. " _Talk_ to me."

For a moment, Ada was taken aback by his words. This was perhaps the first and only time her new ally had insisted upon any form of conversation, and she wasn't sure how to react.

"What about?" she asked, scanning him nervously.

"You?"

The corners of Ada's lips twitched as she stared into the dark visor of his helmet, and she sensed more ease in his signature than she had done before. He was growing more comfortable in her presence, and she appreciated the fact. But that didn't mean she didn't understand exactly his intentions; he was a smart man, but their intellect was matched. 

"Mando," she said, leaning closer over the table. "This is a very interesting way of getting around our agreement."

There was a pause. "You are _fascinating_ ," he then told her admittedly, his low voice crackling behind the modulator.

"Fascinating?"

"Yes." He reaffirmed. "I stumble across you by chance, and find that you're the most complicated creature I've had the curse of knowing."

"That's the most you've ever said to me," Ada replied, her features softening.

"I'm not a man of many words."

"I know."

_ada is hot wifey material & mando is just like 😡 no feelings heart empty 😡_


	5. CHAPTER 5: finding fuel

### CHAPTER 5: finding fuel

The two new companions were now sat tediously in the cockpit of Ada's ship, both of their legs propped up against the dash. It seemed natural to Mando, but Ada was not used to presenting herself so lazily. But, after a few drinks, she was loosening up. Her blue eyes settled on the Mandalorian occasionally, feeling oddly content in his presence.

The Mandalorian had retired to his room a few times to down some of his own drinks in private, and the two were much more comfortable with the warmth of alcohol in their system.

"Can I ask you something?"

He glanced at his female counterpart in expectancy.

"Is **Grogu** the name of your child?"

"He isn't my child," Mando corrected, looking away. "Yes, that is his name."

"And how long have you cared for him?"

"Long enough to justify rescuing him from the Empire," he responded, and Ada noticed how vague he was even after the alcohol. She felt melancholy for a moment, wondering why he was so untrusting of everybody. And then, she found herself wondering whether he would ever trust her enough to tell her anything; and not just avoid certain pieces of information.

"How old?"

"I think around fifty-two," Mando said, more confident in this answer. "His kind ages very slowly."

Ada looked away, digesting the information quietly. She moved a piece of her dark hair out of her face, and her blue eyes glanced out of the viewport. They brightened when she caught sight of the transport vehicle rolling onto the hangar, and she quickly got to her feet.

She reached out and grabbed Mando's gloved hand automatically, the alcohol numbing her inhibitions. She pulled him up and let go again wordlessly, spinning around and exiting out of the ship in the direction of the transport vehicle. Mando, however, hesitated and glanced down at his hand. A feeling lingered on his feelings, and he suddenly felt the need for more alcohol to take the edge off.

As Ada walked across the hangar, she met eyes with Kes Dameron coming from the other way.

"My fuel is here!" she called out to him loudly, and he smiled back at her. The female Jedi reached into her pocket and withdrew 10 credits, passing them into Kes' hands kindly. She then nodded, and moved toward two cannisters on the vehicle. She grasped them in her arms and stumbled briefly, forgetting how heavy they were.

Mando followed close behind her grabbed another two cannisters, seemingly carrying their weight without effort. This would be enough for several trips all the way around the galaxy, and Ada felt confident that she wouldn't need to return for more fuel for several months now. She smiled to herself and turned around, carrying them back towards their ship.

Once they boarded again, Ada caught Mando's gaze and smirked at him.

She then moved to the back of her ship and opened up a large door on the floor which had been previously unnoticed by her companion. It led to the fuel tanks, and she twisted a lever and pulled the almost-empty cannister out of its compartment. She then quickly swapped it out and popped the brand new one in, smiling in satisfaction.

Mando couldn't help but watch her with interest, noticing how natural her movements seemed to her. It was quite clear that the Jedi had lived independently for a very long time, and he respected that. She was so used to doing everything for alone; but he vowed to himself that he was going to show her to rely on others at least some of the time. Even if he couldn't teach himself to.

She got to her feet and kicked the door closed again, the metal sound ricocheting throughout the ship. She then looked up and saw her companion watching her quietly, and swallowed. "Is there something on my face?" she asked, and he grunted from behind the beskar helmet.

Mando turned around and disappeared into the cockpit, and she was not sure whether to follow him or go rest for a while. She decided on the former, and found him sitting in the pilot seat fiddling with her comms system.

 _"Fett, this is the Mandalorian. Come in,"_ he demanded, and Ada became fixated on his tone. The man exuded power and authority, that it was difficult to remember herself for just a moment. She disengaged from the strange sensation in her chest, and sat beside him in the passenger seat. It was nice for somebody to take over.

"Mandalorian, are you alright? Where is the girl?"

"She's right here. We are ready for Nevarro."

 _"Fennec, get the engine started,"_ Boba Fett said, his voice crackled over the com. His voice then became clearer as he spoke directly to Mando. "Expect us in eight hours. We're right behind you."

The communication cut off, and Ada immediately jumped into action despite being particularly tipsy. The Jedi stood to her feet and began flicking the correct switches, preparing the ship for take off. Her fingers caught Mando's as he reached for the same switch, and she quickly retracted her hand.

"You're flighty today," Mando told her, noticing her reaction to the touch. He did not look at her, but simply moved his gaze back to the controls quietly.

"I'm just tired," she justified, moving backwards. "I'm going to go rest for a while. Wake me if I'm needed."

The Mandalorian, like always, said nothing.

The young woman moved into the belly of the ship and collapsed onto the first sofa she found, the alcohol having taken the edge off her need for privacy. All Ada wanted was to close her eyes; she did not care for her bed just now. She moved her knees into her chest and smiled to herself, her eyelids drooping as she snuggled into the sofa. And then slowly, but surely, she drifted.

_Mahogany eyes on blue encompassed the Jedi with a feeling she had not recognised since her life on Tatooine. A fire burned through her heart, red roses on lips as she faltered under her dream-like state. The eyes were hauntingly familiar, and yet unrecognisable under the guise of their custom._

_Whelmed with the fleeting moment of eye contact, her rose lips parted, and the young woman could not think to speak. Profound as the moment was, she could not think to meet it with a single word. She simply stared into the brown depths, sensing every ounce of affection pooling inside. They beckoned out to her in ways stronger than The Force, stronger than her own life force. No -- the eyes were her life force._

_Her lungs constricted, breathless. Though she could not think of a worst time to breathe. Her slender fingers reached out toward the face, her soul desperate to satisfy the curiosity which enraptured her._

And then, the dream ended far sooner than one might have hoped. Ada was coaxed out of her sleep by the feeling of her shoulders being shaken slightly, and her blue eyes opened reluctantly. She was met with the dark T-shape of a Mandalorian helmet, and she stared up at him for a long moment.

Her mind escaped back to the dream - back to the brown eyes she had found impossible to recognise. She worried it had felt so real; almost like a premonition. And most of all, she worried that the fleeting feeling she had been encompassed with in the dream was _love_. And a Jedi could not afford to fall in love, not in such a galaxy as hers.

"Jedi? Are you alright?" Mando asked, his voice malformed by the modulator of his helmet.

"Of course," Ada answered, too quickly. Her expression still looked ghostly, and Mando reached forward gently and brushed the corner of her eye with his gloved thumb.

"Then why are you crying?"

Ada's blue eyes widened and she stubbornly wiped her eyes, swiping away the tears which wettened her eyelashes and cheeks. She hadn't felt the water on her face until it was mentioned, and she became furious with herself for allowing such ridiculous emotion. It had been nothing more than a dream, and somehow she had allowed it to become more in her head.

Ada stood to her feet stubbornly and began to walk away, when suddenly she felt the entire ship quake furiously. The woman stumbled into the wall, and she looked at Mando with a frown. From the hilt of his helmet, it looked like he was looking at her with a similar expression.

The two rushed to the cockpit together, and Mando automatically placed himself in the piloting chair. Ada liked the way he had designated the seat to himself, and stood behind his chair calmly. Mando rested one large arm on the arm rest at his side, while the other hand messed with the controls. He brought up the range field, and a sigh crackled behind his helmet.

"TIE fighters," he told her quietly.

"Imperial?" Ada asked, her blue eyes narrowing as she said the word. Her thoughts drifted to her father for a moment in anguish, and she felt a specific anger surge through her.

"I won't have the Empire take _anything_ else from me," she muttered. "This is my ship."

"They won't," Mando assured her, still scanning the switches in front of him. He looked up at the screens in frustration, then gestured angrily. "Does this ship not have _any_ defences?!"

"Yes, it does. Me."

Mando turned around to look at her in response to the alarming words, and saw that she was grasping the hilt of her lightsaber with a dark expression on her features. A bright blue blade projected out of the hilt, the sound filling the cockpit. She then twirled the saber in her hands and spun around, towards the entrance of the ship.

"Hey Mando, want to see something _phenomenal_?"

Mando shot out of his seat incredulously. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Protecting the only thing I have," she replied, slamming the emergency button. The door hissed open, and suddenly the Jedi plunged herself into the darkness of the galaxy.

She landed swiftly on top of the TIE Fighter which was flying just beside them, and she looked up curiously to view her ship from another perspective. Her focus then shifted, and she swung her lightsaber against the top of the Imperial starfighter. The metal burst open to reveal a Stormtrooper, and Ada did not hesitate before taking her weapon down against him.

She then looked up to see another starfighter flying above her ship, just short of the cockpit. It was not in the range to land any attacks against them yet, but she was not willing to give them a chance.

Ada threw herself back onto the side of her own ship and kicked off it, using the velocity to climb up the side. She grabbed the edge of the roof with her free hand and pulled herself up, landing with precision on top of the craft. She then raced across and pushed her lightsaber upwards, cutting along the length of the TIE fighter above them.

She heard intense electrical circuits faltering and metal scraping, and then its engines began to cut out. When the craft began to fall, she held out her hand and used the Force to push it furiously to the side. The TIE fighter spun slightly, and only just managed to scrape along the side of her ship as it plummeted into the depths of the galaxy.

Ada spun her lightsaber in her characteristic reverse grip one last time as she stood on top of her own spacecraft, and she scanned the darkness around her for any more Imperial fighters. A satisfied smile played on her lips.

The young woman dipped back down the side of the Old Republic ship and weaved herself back through the doorway, landing back on her feet with grace.

The Mandalorian was stood in the entryway to the cockpit, and Ada would be lying if she said she did not instantly sense the intensity in his emotions in the moment. His fists were clenched at his sides in frustration, and yet there was conflict in himself. He knew that he should have been furious with her behaviour, yet he was impressed by the way she had taken down the starfighters so easily.

Ada was not the first to speak, for the first time since she had met the intimidating warrior.

"That was the most _reckless_ thing I have witnessed in all of my thirty-five years," he seethed from behind the helmet, his voice low and too calm. He came forward and grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer. "You are absolutely the most infuriating and reckless woman I have known. You do not go _throwing_ yourself out of ships in the middle of space without a word!"

The Jedi processed his words in silence, scanning his beskar helmet.

"Are you mad because I risked my life, or are you mad because you couldn't have done it better?"

Mando tensed further, and Ada quietened.

"If we are to work together, you will have to repress your reckless urges. We need to be on the same page."

"Let me get this straight, _beskar head_ ," Ada matched his tone, acid in her voice as she came closer. "I have worked alone for ten years. My strategy works. I am not going to change it for your peace of mind."

"And what exactly is your strategy?"

The edges of Ada's mouth twitched. "Don't get injured."

a/n: ada is so funny and for what 


	6. CHAPTER 6: panic

### CHAPTER 6: panic

As the female Jedi lounged in the cockpit of her unscathed ship, her mind unknowingly drifted elsewhere. She thought of the dark times that were only ahead of her with melancholy, wondering what might happen once she reached Moff Gideon and his guild of darktroopers she had seen on Tython.

The Empire had taken _everything_ from Ada, and she knew that the moment she was in the right place she would stop at nothing to destroy as much as she could. And she knew that it was against who she was to have those kind of desires; she remembered what her father had said to her as she grew up.

_A Jedi does must seek revenge. I have seen what those feelings do to people, what they did to my best friend. That cannot be you._

But, it was only natural for her. The woman was not a fully trained knight, which meant of course she would occasionally dismiss the Jedi Code that her father had devoted his life to. It meant much less to her; much less than the idea of taking her lightsaber against Moff Gideon's throat. His regime had reduced her kind into the shadows, and she did not want to be afraid of who she was anymore. 

She pictured herself finding him, and she felt her own anticipation. She knew that she was strong, but so was _he_. What was the point of everything if she could not avenge her loved ones? Her heartbeat picked up slightly, throat closing in. The Jedi focused on the fear that would consume her when she saw him for the first time, and the rage she would suffocate with. In the moment she stepped foot on an Imperial cruiser, Ada would not rest until everything burned.

Thorns encased her heart, and it strummed violently against her ribcage; and with sadness, Ada knew what she had done to herself. She felt the haert beat intensify against her, and she got to her feet breathlessly before it was too late. She pushed her fingers into the palms of her hands, squeezing against the panic.

"Jedi?" the Mandalorian's low voice rumbled against the modulator of the helmet, and he glanced up at her teary blue eyes.

" _Don't_ follow me," she commanded, attempting to sound menacing. The lump in her throat muffled the venom as she rushed through the belly of the ship, and slammed the door to her quarters closed.

Ada collapsed into her bed and finally let out a pained whine, her heartbeat now intensely violating her ribcage. She could hear it warmly in her ears, slamming against every inch of her body, and felt it in her throat. Her body was cold and hot all at the same time, hands clammy. A wave of sickness passed by the Jedi as she sobbed into her pillow, muffling the noise.

She hadn't given into her panics in several months, courtesy of the serene Tythonic landscape. And even after so long, she was not ready for them to return. She had dwelled too much on her own passion for revenge, and sent herself into a whirlwind of emotion which encompassed her too rapidly.

Ada mumbled to herself, using techniques her father had taught her from a young age. _I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine. Everything is okay, nothing can hurt me. **Yet.**_

"What's going on?" a thick voice demanded from the doorway, which she hadn't heard open. Ada looked up with teary eyes, her breaths catching in her throat as she rode through the storm. He was hesitating, stood watching her. In spite of her overwhelming distress, she could sense his, too. He was vulnerable, and uncertain.

Ada did not find the strength to scold him for going exactly against what she had asked, and instead looked away, grasping her bed sheets desperately.

"Nothing," she said quietly. "I'm just panicking."

In response to her admission, Mando walked forward and sat on the edge of the bed reluctantly, grasping her hands in his. Though gloved, they felt warm as they enveloped around hers, and Ada could have sworn that she began to calm almost instantly in his presence. Somehow, he felt stronger than her. Ada felt safe, and protected by him: an automatic response that she hadn't quite expected.

Mando pulled her into a sitting position and a sigh emanated from his helmet, crackling. "You breathing is erratic, you're _not_ helping yourself." He scolded her. "Slow your intake, draw it out."

Ada scanned his beskar helmet as she followed his instructions, breathing in through her nose ever so slowly. The thrumming against her chest faded slightly, and she began to see more clearly; she thought back to what had sent her into the panic, and now stared back at the Mandalorian. She was not alone against Moff; she had forgotten that detail. She was with _him_.

"Now breathe out."

Ada closed her eyes, feeling a tear drop from her eyelashes as she let out a gentle breath. Her body was returning back to normal, the adrenaline in her veins slowly absorbed by calming enzymes. Her throat still felt thick with emotion, in the aftermath of crying. She hated herself for seeming so weak, but in the moment she allowed Mando to look at her.

"Better?" he asked, his voice more gentle than she had _ever_ heard. Her eyebrows furrowed, looking straight into the T of his dark visor. His hands were still wrapped in hers, keeping them warm, and it was difficult for her to focus on anything other than his touch. There was something different about him then, and Ada's blue eyes caught his.

Mando watched her with the same soft expression behind his metal helmet, feeling utterly baffled by her vulnerability. Though he knew she could not see his mahogany eyes, she somehow always found them through the visor. They pierced into his, and his breath always hitched - never growing used to being seen. Even though he wasn't. The warrior was overwhelmed with a need to protect, similar to the one with the child; yet it was different somehow. It was more profound, gripping him by the chest.

Slowly, within days, the Jedi woman was securing an unbreakable vice around the Mandalorian's unprotected heart. Something he had never expected, and something he knew must be prevented at all costs.

"Why?" Mando asked quietly, the single word encompassing everything he wanted to ask; why had this happened? He gently guided his hands away from hers.

Ada's blue eyes flickered to his hands moving by his sides, a strange disappointment enveloping her damaged heart. She couldn't pinpoint the depth of why she enjoyed the contact; the Jedi had always valued her personal space. And yet something felt natural about Mando's hands on her, and she hated even more that she didn't understand.

The warrior caught her very subtle cue, and frowned behind the helmet.

"I was overthinking about the Empire," she told him. "I'm sorry, I should have known. I usually catch my thoughts before this happens,"

"You have panics a lot?"

"Not recently," she answered.

The Mandalorian moved to his feet and resisted the urge to hold out his hand for her, acknowledging that the small touches here and there were becoming addictive and unhealthy for the both of them. For what the power of a few days had done, a dread cast over him as he wondered what might become of them by the end of their mission.

Ada got to her feet softly and treaded after him, noticing the foggy sound of the communications system as they both entered back into the cockpit. Mando stood over the controls and pressed a red button, listening intently.

 _"Mando?"_ Boba Fett's voice filled the room.

"We're here, what do you need?"

"Nevarro is just over twenty minutes away. You may be in range to contact your old friend by now."

"Old friend?" Ada's blue eyes looked up into the visor.

"Cara Dune," he responded vaguely. "She's a Marshal of Nevarro for the New Republic."

Ada felt something very subtle yet uncomfortable in her chest upon the word _she_ ; she paused for a second to process the utterly irrational and bizarre emotion.

"How did you meet?" 

"We tried to kill each other."

The edges of Ada's mouth twitched as she processed the information. "That is a _much_ better story than _our_ first introduction."

Mando's helmet moved as he turned and glanced at her through his visor, and their eyes met - though she didn't know it. He stared at her for several moments as he remembered how they had first been introduced, and he repressed a smile even though she could not see.

"I disagree," he told her. "Watching you throw yourself into the air at a group of lethal Imperial droids was very entertaining."

Ada finally smirked, also recalling the memory only a few days since. "See, my recklessness _does_ have some advantages,"

"Not when it gets you killed," he said, his tone shifting ever so slightly. He admitted to himself that he did enjoy her spontaneity; not a single thing she did was something that could have been predicted, and it was albeit exciting. But he worried. 

"Are you telling me that you plan _every_ move you make with precise strategy?"

"No," he rebutted, thinking of the times he had made last minute decisions in battle. Perhaps he was being a hypocrite, but there was something different about her risking herself. He offered her a side glance, his throat bobbing.

It was strange how easy it was for him to speak and banter with her, after so little time. Mando was not a people person by any means, and his disinterest in conversation often made him unlikeable. But somehow, the Jedi persevered through that and managed to form a subtle dynamic between them. And the foundation of it was persistent mocking.

Mando took a seat in the piloting chair and flicked a switch, and the engine roared furiously. He checked the thermal vindicator, and finally glanced at his companion whom remained stood behind him.

"Preparing for hyperspeed. Sit down."

"Yes, Sir," Ada bit, moving around and into the passenger seat with a cold look. Though, there was a softness in her eyes that was noticed by Mando. " _Please_ remember whose ship this is."

"I thought you had gifted it to me?" Mando rebuked, amusement in his tone at her small scolding. He admitted that he had taken over the role of piloting, but she didn't seem to care either way.

"One can only dream, beskar head. Obs is _mine_." 

There was a silence, as Mando made a decision on whether or not to mention her words. He then looked at her through his visor, raising his eyebrows. _"Obs?"_

Ada looked away, and quietened. The engines roared violently as the Mandalorian threw them into hyperspace, and ground rumbling lowly beneath their feet. Ada stared out of the viewport mesmerised as the galaxy stars blurred before them, despite having seen it numerous times. And then all at once, the ship was plunged into the atmosphere of an entirely new planet.

Ada looked down at the sandy terrain and felt a surge of disappointment pass by her.

"I _hate_ sand planets," she told Mando in grief.

"You do?"

"I grew up on one."

"Which one?"

Ada hesitated, glancing at the T shape of his visor for a second as she deliberated on telling him. Her strict rule against questions should forbid this small piece of information, but she supposed it was harmless really; she was just being overprotective of herself. She was becoming almost 70% certain that the Mandalorian was trustworthy.

_"Tatooine."_

Mando nodded in acknowledgement. "Look at _you_ answering questions. Am I growing on you?"

Ada narrowed her blue eyes, but couldn't hide the small smile playing on her rose lips. "Like a tick on a blurrg."

Mando scoffed, but it sounded more like a chuckle. The sound crackled lowly due to the modulator, and Ada's blue eyes caught his visor with a smile. It was a sound that uplifted her spirits somehow, though she couldn't quite describe the science of it. The woman found herself wanting him to laugh again.

He lowered them through the clouds of the planet, and Ada caught sight of Slave 1 flying close by them.

"Here come the cavalry," she commented wryly, and Mando followed her gaze.

"Are you ready for some heavy persuasion?"

"You mean, persuading your friend to release a high-class convict and risk her life with said convict?"

"When you word it like that-"

"You can convince her, Mando," she cut him off with a giggle, looking back outside the window. "You have a _silver_ tongue."

"Oh, I'm sure."


	7. CHAPTER 7: nevarro

### CHAPTER 7: nevarro

Ada's boots crunched against the rocky, sand-like terrain of Nevarro as she accompanied her new acquaintance toward the local town. Her fresh navy robes billowed in the wind behind her, as did the cape worn by The Mandalorian. He towered almost half a foot over her as they walked alongside each other, and the stark height difference was more notable now they were walking so close.

Her blue gaze lifted to the T shape of his helmet briefly to gauge his state, but like always she struggled to make any cohesive conclusions about how he felt. She had been wondering whether the thick beskar helmet was preventing her from using The Force with her usual ease; or whether there really was something different about Mando.

 _Din_. The Jedi had almost forgotten that she actually knew his real name, though she had not yet spoken it. For whatever reason, it felt too intimate to say the word without really knowing him; he had trusted her enough to give her the information, but she felt that she should treasure it rather than use it. And it was also true that he never really said her name; to him, she was 'Jedi.'

Ada disengaged from her thoughts when she noticed two more presences nearing, and she scanned the landscape. She then laid eyes with a tanned, broad woman with mid-length and half-shaven dark hair approaching. She had huge thighs and arms, and Ada immediately appreciated how powerful she looked. Behind her was a dark-skinned, middle-aged man wearing beige and white robes.

Their thoughts were much clearer to understand than Mando's as they approached; the Jedi woman respected their privacy and did not bother searching their minds, but she sensed that the two were equally nervous about meeting her. They didn't know what to expect from an esteemed sorceress like Ada.

"Mando," the woman spoke, her voice thick and hoarse - strong.

"Ada, this is Cara Dune and her colleague Greef Karga."

Ada moved forward and held out her hand towards Cara, whom eyes her suspiciously. Ada then offered a warm smile. "I don't bite, Marshal."

The corners of Cara's mouth twitched as she grasped the other woman's hand, shaking it politely. Somehow, from the touch, the Alderaanian felt instantly at ease with the Jedi's presence. She carried with her a sweet serenity that did not go unnoticed by everyone around; even if the Mandalorian knew that deep down, a fire ran through her veins and into her heart. She was not quite as soft as first appearances.

"It's good to meet you," Greef Karga offered, moving forward to scan her. "I haven't worked with a Jedi before, but I hear stories of your kind."

"I hope they're all good."

" _Some_ are. Some aren't," he offered. Mando glanced at his new friend, gauging her confused reaction and feeling tense for her. He always wondered why she was so strange about her past; he assumed it had been much like his own. But the subject of the Jedi and her father was _always_ a sensitive one - perhaps it hurt to think about. He had a bad feeling about where this might be going.

"How so?"

"Tales of Darth Vader don't bode well for your kind," Greef Karga said boldly, and Mando watched as Ada immediately clenched her fist.

" _Vader_ was not a Jedi. Vader _killed_ Jedi. He killed my Father," she hissed.

Greef's eyes widened, and Mando moved forward and placed an armoured limb in front of the Jedi gently, moving her backwards. He glanced down at her from behind the beskar helmet, and her eyes burned into his. They were watering slightly with passion, and the new information had left him in surprise. She clearly found it difficult to keep secrets when in a fit of anger. He made a silent decision with himself not to take advantage of that. 

"I'm so sorry," Greef offered. "I didn't know-"

"You shouldn't speak on things you _don't_ understand," Ada suggested coldly, glaring at him. Greef nodded and looked away, and Cara was simply smirking at her strong reaction. The Marshal's gaze drifted to the Mandalorian's arm, which was still resting against the Jedi's stomach - and the smirk widened unknowingly.

This time, it was Mando that chose to move away from his female counterpart. His beskar helmet tilted as he looked at the Marshal, gauging the smile on her lips. He then sighed, the sound crackling beneath the modulator as he moved forward toward the indoors. When Ada was out of earshot, Cara nudged Mando playfully.

 _"What?"_ Mando murmured.

Cara smirked again, raising her eyebrows. "You two are close."

Mando said nothing, which was endearingly characteristic. He then moved away and fell back into step with the female Jedi, who was now chatting with Greef - the previous tension long forgotten. At least she did not hold much of a grudge.

"I think it will be fine," Greef reassured the woman. "She's a Marshal, she has the power to do so."

"If Mando trusts her, so do I," Ada said with a nod, then turned her head. Her rose lips stretched into a smile when she found the warrior walking beside her, and Mando couldn't help but smirk to himself behind the sheet of beskar. The vice tightened, chest constricting at her warm words of trust. "Where did you go, beskar head?"

"Beskar head?" Cara scoffed from behind them, and Ada turned to meet her amused expression. "Mando, you gonna allow that kind of disrespect?"

"The disrespect is mutual."

Ada rolled her blue eyes. "Where is the prison, anyway?"

"We're close."

Cara Dune moved in front of them and lead the walk for several minutes, and the four of them travelled in silence. Though, it was not an uncomfortable silence - Ada felt quite at peace with the dynamic of the group, even if she did prefer to be making conversation with new people. She sensed that Mando was distracted with the mission lying ahead, and the other two were similarly elsewhere.

The group finally landed upon an opening wherein the atmosphere physically darkened. The Jedi was unsure whether it was just her that could feel the dread ahead, but her senses because overwhelmed with the feeling that she should not continue. She was plagued by the ominous presences of the prisoners; what they had done, and what they planned.

Ada moved to a slow, glancing at the Mandalorian. Her throat bobbed, and he quickly noticed her worried expression. His gloved hand caught her elbow and pulled her to the side, looking at her expectantly.

"This is as far as I go," she told him. "I sense dark thoughts,"

"The convicts?"

Ada nodded, and Mando let go of her arm. He pulled his blaster out of the belt at his hip and handed it to her, meeting her expression. "Stay here, and stay sharp."

A small smile stretched onto her lips as she reluctantly took the weapon in her hands, slender fingers brushing against his. "I have a _lightsaber_ , beskar boy."

"And what if the enemy was not in close range?"

"I would think of something," she insisted, but held tightly onto his weapon nevertheless. It was warm from being so close to his body, and she found it strangely comforting.

Mando tapped just beneath her chin lightly and spun around, re-joining his old friends who had stopped to wait for him. Cara caught her eye for a moment, and Ada narrowed her eyes at the amused look in her dark eyes. Then, she watched them walk away into the distance, blue eyes following the beskar armour most intently.

As she waited for the group to return, Ada re-played his gentle touch of her chin over in her head, not quite understanding the sweet gesture. She feared that she was beginning to enjoy his company more than she had previously anticipated, and there was a small doubt in her mind. Nevertheless, the young woman enjoyed the way her heart jumped occasionally at things he would do; it reminded her that she was alive.

The Jedi leaned against the metal gate for what felt like half a day before finally, she recognised the sound of a group of people trudging across the sandy landscape. Her blue eyes lifted and she saw her three acquaintances, with a convict following closely. He was bald with hollow eyes and a lean figure, and he looked bored as he trailed behind.

The moment his dull eyes laid on Ada, his interest peeked and he scanned her appearance.

"I don't believe we have met," he said, and there was a light-hearted air to his tone.

Ada repressed the urge to smirk, glancing at Mando when she sensed him stiffen somewhat. She moved forward and placed her hand out much like she had done with Cara; she could sense that this convict's thoughts were not anything like the others in the prison. He seemed carefree, and easy to be around.

The convict took her hand firmly and shook it. "Migs Mayfeld. What's your name, gorgeous?"

"Ada, but some people call me _Jedi_. It's an affectionate nickname, I think."

Her blue eyes moved to her Mandalorian counterpart for a moment, catching the T-shape of his dark visor. His tense presence relaxed a little from her fond words, and he found it difficult not to scoff at the comment.

"Come on, _Ada_. We need to go find the location of Gideon's cruiser."

The Jedi's mouth turned upwards upon hearing her name on his lips; though of course, the true sound of his voice was malformed by the moderator of his helmet. But it was still low and gravelly, like she imagined it would be in her head - and her name on his tongue tasted sweeter than on anyone else's. Ada closed her eyes in defeat of herself, dismissing the thoughts. She would not allow herself to give in to such immature behaviour - a crush was for those below the age of 16.

Ada followed the group back to the two small ships parked alongside each other, and they slowly piled onto Slave 1. Boba Fett and Fennec Shand were waiting inside, and for the first time Ada saw everyone together - almost everyone that would help retrieve the Force-sensitive child from the hands of the Empire.

She noticed how the convict, Mayfeld, jested with almost everybody. He earned several hard stares from the assassin, as well as a roll of the eyes from Cara. But the sweet Jedi seemed to be the only one to look down in amusement, catching his eye once or twice at the jokes he made. He seemed to have a similar personality to her - pushing people out of curiosity of when they would crack.

Her blue gaze moved and she looked up at the Mandalorian, to find that he was already staring at her silently. She offered him a smile, but it faltered quickly when she remembered that he could not smile back. A small part of her nagged at the back of her mind, but she refused it stubbornly. There was no way that she would ever admit to _wanting_ to see him - not in this life time.

Ada looked back at the group and grew bored of the discussion, no matter how important it seemed. The young Jedi turned around and exited the ship by herself, smiling up at the bright sky. The sun shone down on her skin violently, draining the moisture from the pores and leaving behind a comfortably warmth. Nevarro reminded her too much of her home planet, and she found herself wanting to leave as soon as she could.

Memories were beginning to haunt her as she walked across the sand, and she recognised that she was nearing her emotional limit. She boarded her Old Republic Ship - which she had always silently referred to as Obs - and swallowed hard.

"You okay?"

Ada turned around and her blue eyes landed on the beskar helmet of the Mandalorian, whom was stood a metre away watching her.

"I'm anxious to leave the planet," she admitted. "I'm not a fan of the heat."

"You're not?"

"You're asking a lot of questions today, Mando," she quipped, but her tone was light. Ada moved to her belt and retrieved the large blaster he had offered her earlier in the day, and handed it out to him.

Mando was quick to take it back, scanning the weapon for damage.

"What do you think I've been doing, stamping on it?" she scoffed.

"You are relentless," he told her, finally brushing passed and towards the cockpit. Ada skipped after him, eager to know what she had missed.

"Where to next, Captain?"

There was a pause as he adjusted the controls, and processed the jested nickname. He then turned to glance at the young woman, the amusement in his eyes concealed by the beskar.

"Mayfeld can't locate Moff Gideon without access to an Imperial terminal. There's one on Morak."

Ada's heart briefly swayed, her breath catching in her throat as a moment of anticipation passed by her. She stared down at Mando as he fiddled with the backup generator, likely ensuring that it was in good enough condition to use. Her words were lost in her throat for a second.

"What's on Morak?"

"An Imperial mining hub."

"An active one?"

Mando stopped what he was doing to finally look at her, and suddenly her words from only hours ago were rekindled in his mind. _Vader killed my father_. He now understood her passionate aversion to the Empire, on top of the fact that they had openly hunted the last remaining Jedi. And so, behind the helmet his gaze softened.

"Yes, active. Will you be okay?"

Ada nodded, looking away. "Of course I'll be okay."


	8. CHAPTER 8: little things

### CHAPTER 8: little things

Ada's blue eyes slowly opened, a serene smile ghosting her features as she lolled her head. Her brown waves encircled her face and white pillow, and the young woman realised that for the first time in a while, she did not want to wake up. She was so used to the constant, ever moving forward, that she did not want to waste time being asleep. But right now, she was in bliss.

Her features changed when she sensed something very subtle, almost like a mild pain in the back of her mind. Her eyes opened all of the way and she forced herself out of bed in slow movements, disregarding the fact that she was not fully dressed. The journey to Morak was over seven hours away, and so she had gotten comfortable for a full night's rest.

The Jedi padded out of her room in a very long grey t-shirt and socks, entering immediately into the belly of the ship. She was not alarmed when she saw the Mandalorian there, in almost all of his armour with the exception of a forearm plate. His sleeve was rolled up, and her blue eyes turned to the wound he was tending to calmly. He sat at the edge of his chair, hissing to himself. 

It was then that she placed the mild discomfort in her mind earlier, and realised that it was because her Mandalorian companion was in mild pain. The wound looked relatively old, but it was sticky with plasma and dirt clung to it.

"You aren't invincible after all," Ada noted quietly, with amusement on her tongue.

Mando looked up in surprise at her presence, quickly finding her eyes through the beskar helmet. He noticed her attire, but was too distracted with his medical task to admire the shape of her tanned legs, or the curve of her hips behind the long t-shirt.

"I'll show you invincible," he mumbled behind the helmet, indecipherable to the woman. She moved forward and dipped into the first-aid box with her slender fingers, pulling out several anti-bacterial wipes. She then moved forward and stood in front of him.

"Let me help."

Mando looked up at her then, losing his distraction. His dark eyes finally noticed her figure, and very quickly glanced back up at her face, not allowing himself to dwell on how she looked in such a little amount of clothing. He felt something tug at his stomach, but he passionately refused to shift his eyes. His breathing slowed as he attempted his thoughts. 

"I'm perfectly capable of cleaning my own wound, Jedi," he told her coldly, and Ada narrowed her eyes.

She wrapped her small hand around his wrist and yanked the arm towards her forcefully, showing her clear intent to help despite his wishes. Mando smirked wryly at her, both of them knowing full well that he could break out of her hold in a heartbeat. Though they were equally matched in skill, the same could not be said for strength. Mando was much stronger. She could sense Mando's tension, but she didn't allow herself the satisfaction of trying to read his mind. 

Closer now, Ada could see the details of the wound much clearer. In some places it looked to almost be slightly infected, or at least bordering infection - and in other places, it looked like the scabs had almost been ripped apart. She quickly concluded that the warrior had not covered the wound for long enough, and inwardly rolled her eyes.

"If you're so capable, why have you let such a harmless wound become infected?" she scolded, gently wiping at his flesh.

She listened for any change in breathing behind the beskar helmet, glancing up at him to gauge a reaction. But the Mandalorian remained quiet and still, so she continued. The fingers holding his arm gently moved across his tanned skin, and she realised that this was the first time they had touched - skin to skin. The Jedi smiled, revelling in the contact despite previously telling herself she never would.

She then, in the midst of her thoughts, very suddenly became all too aware that she was only wearing a long grey t-shirt and pants beneath. Her lips parted as she felt the cold air move against her legs, hardening her nipples ever so slightly. Her blue eyes shifted across his beskar helmet, feeling too vulnerable. She was growing too comfortable with the Mandalorian; too much, too quickly. Though, her smile only faded slightly - she didn't want him to notice her very sudden onset of insecurity.

"Are you smiling because I'm injured?" Mando asked lowly, feeling vulnerable due to their proximity. He watched her through his visor, analysing every detail in her blue eyes and dark lashes, and every crease in her petal lips. 

"Quite the contrary," she responded, glancing up at him. She moved one leg, and then her eyes fell on the dark T-shape visor. "Your eyes look nice tonight," she teased.

"Thank you," Mando scoffed, his voice crackling beneath the modulator like always.

Ada looked back down and continued to gently coax away the grime from the wound, careful not to put too much pressure on the sensitive parts. Her breathing was steadily controlled as she concentrated all of her attention on the wound. When she was satisfied, the Jedi moved back into the box and retrieved a bandage, gently wrapping it around the arm, loose enough so that it could still breathe and heal.

She then looked back up and without thinking, placed a hand into the curve of his helmet, just where his face would be, and smiled. Mando stiffened, even though he could not physically feel the touch - only see it. And then, one of his large gloved hands moved and planted itself on her waist in front of him. His fingers grazed the thin material, she she could swear it almost felt like she was wearing nothing at all. Ada's blue eyes widened only a fraction, lips parting again as she stared the visor. 

The two remained frozen with the intimacy of the moment, and Ada swore to herself not to move a fraction. Instead, she dwelled on the feeling of his fingers against her waist, with only a thin t-shirt between them. Her throat bobbed, feeling warmth pool inside of her. She hadn't known it was possible to want something - _someone_ \- so much. 

"I'm done," she whispered, moving her hand away from his helmet. As she turned away, she inwardly cursed herself for the brief moment of weakness. The Jedi was growing too comfortable with him.

The Mandalorian hesitated before he moved his hand away from her waist. He hadn't wanted to move; he had wanted to move his hand upwards - or even downwards. He had wanted to give in to the tension that the moment had offered, and to simply take her right there. But that would be foolish; with much more important things ahead.

Mando got to his feet slowly, and examined the bandage. "Thanks," he said, his brown eyes unconsciously scanning her figure from behind the mask. He closed his eyes in frustration, and marched into the cockpit away from her.

Ada followed on his heels, hoping to alleviate the tension with trivial small talk.

"How long before we arrive?"

"Two hours."

"Would you like to get some rest? I can take over piloting,"

"I probably won't sleep."

Ada frowned and surveyed him, moving into the middle of the cockpit and hoisting herself onto the control panel so that she was sitting almost in front of him. He stared back at her, his arms laid against the armrests of the pilot seat. The t-shirt rode up against her thigh ever so slightly, and his hands tightened around the arm rests. "Why, is something on your mind?"

"There are a _lot_ of things on my mind, Jedi."

"Do you wanna talk about them?"

"Do you want to talk about your _father_?"

The aggressive rebut caused Ada to scowl at him, and she became mildly angry with his sudden change in attitude. She thought that she understood the root of it, but nevertheless it left her infuriated. "You don't have to be so hostile with me, you know," she snapped. "You're so confusing."

"Oh, _I'm_ confusing?" he turned back on herm and she stood up angrily.

"I'll talk to you when we're landing."

"Fine."

" _Fine_."

\---

_a/n: this was quite a small little chapter! i just wanted to show that there is definitely an attraction between them_


	9. CHAPTER 9: imperial hub

### CHAPTER 9: imperial hub

And so, the fiery female Jedi had remained isolated in her bedroom until she believed two hours had almost passed. She had sulked lividly, overanalysing every minute detail of their encounter until she was sure that the Mandalorian truly didn't have any reason to have been so hostile with her, other than his own frustrations. She made a silent vow to herself to remember to dress herself more appropriately the next time she spoke to him in the middle of the night. It had only caused them trouble. 

Ada dressed into a pair of black trousers and a black turtleneck jumper, with burgundy robes encompassing her figure. She then tucked her beskar lightsaber hilt into the belt and swept out of her room, features entirely expressionless in preparation for the tense rendezvous.

" _Mandalorian_ ," she greeted as she entered into the cockpit of her own ship, Obs. Though she hadn't vocally told anyone of the nickname. "When do we land?"

"Seven minutes," he replied. It was difficult to tell whether the man was being equally as cold as her, or whether he was merely acting normal. For a man of very few words, he did not speak much even when they hadn't previously argued.

Mando's beskar helmet tilted as he surveyed the woman, and she stared back at him devoid of any emotion. He paused for a moment, repressing a smirk behind the helmet as he realised that she was sulking with him. "You look good in that colour," he told her, then looked away.

Ada ignored the warmth rising to her cheeks and glanced away, refusing to acknowledge the words. She glanced down at her the main screen on the control panel and noticed how low they were on fuel, and she tapped the alert away with her slender fingers.

"I need to change the fuel cannisters. Prepare for hyperspace?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied distantly, pulling a lever by his side and the woman turned around and left the cockpit.

She felt the ship shake as she opened the same door as a few days ago and swapped out the tanks delicately, satisfied once the fuel had been renewed. She then moved closer to the cockpit, not exactly wanting to go back in but knowing that she had to. Ada was feeling a little tense in his presence at the moment, and she wasn't enjoying the company he offered as much. Or that's what she told herself, anyway.

She felt the ship lowering into the atmosphere of the new planet, and wanted more than anything for there to be at least some green. She strode into the cockpit and stood behind Mando's seat, smiling with relief as she saw the vast trees littering the landscape.

"Thank Maker for greenery," she said to herself, but Mando heard.

"Come on, let's go," he told her as he settled the ship into park and switched off the engines.

The two left the ship side by side, though inwardly their minds were elsewhere as they considered the outcomes for the mission ahead of them. They swiftly met up with the group, the other four waiting for them by the edge of a hill overlooking a dirt path. Ada couldn't help but admire the landscape, feeling elated by the intense density of the trees surrounding them.

Her attention was diverted when the convict spoke. "Once I get the co-ordinates, you guys gotta get me the hell out of there." Ada noticed that Cara was glaring at Mayfeld regularly, but she said nothing.

"You get to the roof. I'll drop in, and pull you out," Boba Fett replied, his voice echoing behind the helmet he now wore. It was green with red around the visor, much less sophisticated than Mando's.

"Mayfeld and I will swap out for the drivers in the tunnel," Cara added, reaffirming the plan they had materialised together.

"As much as I'd like to take a road trip with rebel dropper here, that's _not_ gonna work," Mayfeld quipped, a smirk on his lips. Ada raised her eyebrows and looked between the two, sensing the tension. It was quite clear that they did not like each other, she could sense it.

"Oh yeah?" Cara asked with a cruel smile. "Why's that?"

"Play nice, Mayfeld. We're all together here," Ada attempted.

"Well, because these bases are run and set up by ex-ISB. If you get scanned and your genetic signature shows up on the New Republic register, you're gonna be detected."

"You sure do know a _lot_ about Imperial remnants," Cara said darkly. Ada glanced at Fennec, who caught her eye meaningfully.

Mayfeld turned around to face the shock trooper. "If you wanna accuse me of something, then just say it."

Ada attempted to move between them and act as a small Force-sensitive shield, but the Mandalorian placed a large hand around her forearm and kept her in place. He did not want her to get involved in the dispute, not when he knew what Mayfeld was capable of. He would do anything to free himself.

"We don't have time for this," Mando said, removing his hand from her. His tone was authoritative and final. "Fennec will go."

"No, I'm wanted by the ISB. I'll trip the alarm too." Fennec replied.

"Then _I'll_ go," Ada sighed, but there was an eagerness in how she spoke. She moved forward, but sensed the way Mando tensed beside her.

"Fett?" Mando asked, dismissing his female companion's volunteer. Ada narrowed her blue eyes.

"Let's just say they might recognise my face."

"Great, so it's me and the Jedi?" Mayfeld asked, looking at the woman.

Ada nodded at him strongly and moved closer to the convict, when Mando stepped in front of her without any acknowledgement.

"No, I'll go." Mando said.

"Hey man, I might be good at talking but I don't think I can explain a man in a Mando suit to Imperial guards," Mayfeld countered. "Your friend will be just fine. You can fight, right?"

 _"I'm_ coming with you," Mando reaffirmed, and suddenly the brunette Jedi lost her patience.

"What's your problem?" she snapped, edging closer to him in proximity. She stared up into the dark visor of his beskar helmet, her features dark as she waited for an answer. From behind the helmet, he stared back at her expressionless.

"I don't trust you with Imperials. Out of us, _you_ have the most reason to lose your temper in there."

"I'll show you losing my temper," she threatened, her tone acidic as her features.

A moment passed by as the two stared at each other, almost forgetting that there were others there. Before either of them spoke, Cara moved forward and placed a hand on the Jedi's shoulder. Ada flinched, but looked at the shock trooper nevertheless.

"Go with them. You'll stay calm, right?" she asked, and offered her a smirk.

Ada appreciated the overruling, and furiously brushed passed the Mandalorian as she ventured down the hill and towards the dirt path they had seen earlier. The plan was the hide in plain sight; they would steal one of the transports and enter into the Imperial hub under a disguise - it would be simple.

Mando said absolutely nothing as he trailed after the Jedi and the convict, though his features were disgruntled. The heavy beskar armour he carried with him clinked against the grass as they walked over it, and he felt the weight of the weapons he carried on his back. Behind the helmet, his brown eyes watched the woman walk gracefully along, feeling concerned.

Ada walked along thin ice with herself, ever threatening to fall into the depths of the cold, dark water. Her demons were hidden behind the greater things, lurking in the shadows until it was their time. She was consciously ignoring her own dark thoughts, paddling just enough to stay above the water. Soon, she would sink.

Mayfeld turned to their female companion with curiosity, noting to himself that he should not find his way on the wrong side. The Jedi was proving very capable of defending herself vocally, and he was eager to see how well she fought. Though Ada did not look away from the ground as she walked, she sensed the eyes.

"Staring doesn't get you very far," she said, then met his eyes.

"I wasn't staring," Mayfeld quipped. "I was _leering_."

Ada pursed her lips at his humour, then looked away again as she addressed the other member in the group. "So, what's the plan?"

"Don't think I'm happy about your coming with us," Mando scolded meaningfully, and Ada narrowed her blue eyes.

"You have had a problem with me since yesterday, Mandalorian. If you have something to say, just say it."

"It's not _words_ that I need," he adjusted, and Ada caught his meaning. Her blue eyes softened ever so slightly, but not enough for Mayfeld to notice. Only Mando caught the change, and was satisfied with the fact that she seemed to reciprocate his tension.

"Mayfeld, you can drive the transport while I strategise."

"And what shall _I_ do?" Ada quipped.

"Try not to blow our cover."


	10. CHAPTER 10: the helmet

### CHAPTER 10: the helmet

Ada stood at the hind of the transport in tedium, listening to the murmur of male voices at the very front as they discussed the plan between themselves. The Jedi's instructions had been clear and final: only get involved in battle if it is necessary. Her dark hair moved in waves when she turned her head to glance at her acquaintances, whom she didn't think paid any attention to her.

Behind his beskar helmet, the bounty hunter turned his brown eyes to the young woman lurkin in the shadows of the transport; he felt almost guilty for being so hostile with her recently, but he would only attribute it to the unfamiliar tension building inside of him when she was around. He lashed out because he didn't like it- he didn't like not understanding it.

The voices faded as the conversation between the Mandalorian and convict came to an end, and Ada looked out of the back window up at the bright blue sky. The air on this planet was fresh and oxygenated, something she wasn't used to. She found herself hoping that she could stay on Morak forever, if it were possible.

Her blue eyes moved, and in response her expression hardened. They landed on a small, floating vehicle racing towards them, and the people driving did not strike her as allies to the Imps they were impersonating. They looked like locals - pirates.

The Jedi pulled her silver hilt out of her belt and turned back around, just as the pirates came to the side of the transport they were using. She moved toward a ladder automatically and looked up, where it would lead to the hatchet on the ceiling. Her hand moved to the metal, before it was quickly pulled away by a strong hand.

Ada looked up stiffly at the Mandalorian, who dropped her hand. He didn't give her a chance to speak, which was out of character for once.

"Stay down here, or-"

"Or _what_?" Ada quirked one eyebrow, and Mando began to ascend up the ladder. He mumbled a quick 'don't have time for this' as he opened the hatch, and disappeared into the open sky.

The Jedi could hear his metal boots slamming against the top of the transport above her, and curiosity encompassed her before she could consider anything. She skilfully climbed the metal ladder and threw herself out onto the top of the transport effortlessly, with cat-like precision. Her presence was almost unnoticed for a moment.

Ada scanned the scene and her blue eyes immediately landed on the Mandalorian, deep in hand-to-hand combat with several pirates. She almost moved forward to help, but she froze transfixed as she watched him move; the warrior was calculated, powerful and quick. Not a single pirate moved in a way he didn't silently predict, and it was clear that they were in a losing battle with him. 

The Jedi had never seen him fight before, and the man certainly exceeded all of her anticipation. He wasn't even using a weapon; he simply threw the pirates over the side of the transport, or kicked them into defeat. And all the while, Ada stood behind him as if protected by the mighty warrior, rendered utterly useless. It was profound to witness; and Ada found herself fighting against her own intense desire and attraction for him. It was so misplaced, and inappropriate - but so _powerful_. She hadn't known feelings like this even existed. 

Mando whipped a blaster from his hip in sudden impatience with the final few pirates, kicking one furiously and watching as it flew into the dirt path behind them. He then turned and shot his blaster at one on the other side of him, his helmet barely moving into their direction. He moved with almost boredom, as though he had been posed with worse threats before.

When the last one collapsed onto the ground lifelessly, Mando turned around to stare at the Jedi. She struggled to change her expression for a moment, her blue eyes meeting the visor of his new Imperial helmet with a strange look - lips parted.

"I told you to stay downstairs," he told her, though his voice was dull - almost like he knew she'd been there the entire time.

"I don't listen," Ada responded, the corner of her mouth twitching. "You need to learn that."

"I am."

A cacophonous sound broke the two out of their quiet moment, and Ada glanced behind him again. Several more pirate ships were now racing towards them in a similar fashion to those before, and they were cheerfully waving spears and fire in the air. They looked determined, and Ada silently counted their numbers. Even a skilled Jedi and Mandalorian would struggle with this.

And yet, the brunette woman remained unthwarted by the risk factor.

"Hey, Mando," she said, echoing her words from several days ago. "Want to see something _phenomenal_?"

"Get inside," Mando commanded, his grip tightening around his blaster.

Ada narrowed her eyes, but the warrior moved forward and gripped her by the shoulders, moving her back towards the ladder into the transport.

"For _once_ in your life, stop being so reck-"

His words were interrupted by the sudden sound of powerful, Imperial guns being fired. And then, explosions behind them. Ada's focus moved from the man in front of her and she noticed the Imperial hub in front of them in the distance, and they could clearly see them; they were firing their weapons at the pirates on their tail. And for once in her entire life, Ada was grateful for the Empire.

"Well, the Empire may be fascist and terrible -- but at least they look after their own men," she commented to Mando, whom said nothing.

Migs Mayfield beneath them increased their speed, and soon they were entering onto the premises of the Imperial hub, where they would search for the terminal. The location of Moff Gideon was very slowly growing closer, and as did the anticipation in Ada's heart. She didn't know it quite yet, but finding him would mark the start of something very complicated for her soul.

Ada looked around as their transport rolled into the building, and she noticed the hundreds of heads swarming around the base looking busy. Her heart sank as she noticed them; generals, troopers, pilots. The Jedi had believed that the Empire had fallen - but it seemed that they were still very much alive. It worried her.

When Mayfeld shifted the vehicle into park, the Jedi who wore the funeral of an Imp jumped from the roof and landed gracefully onto the concrete ground, earning a few stares.

Mando stared down at her, bemused.

"Could you at least _act_ like a trooper?" he asked, his voice thick and slightly different owing to the helmet change. She hadn't noticed outside, but now it was strikingly different - she liked it. The modulator was less obvious, and the voice sounded almost human to her.

"What's the fun in that?" Ada quipped as they began to move through the crowd of Imps, and Ada attempted to hide her discomfort. Her chest tightened for only a brief moment as she remembered where she was, and that there would be people of power in there.

Mayfeld walked ahead of them and approached an open doorway, scanning the room. He then turned back to his two allies and subtly nodded. "There it is."

"A terminal?" Ada asked.

"Good luck," Mando offered.

Mayfeld turned back around, but as his eyes caught somebody sitting in the very room he hesitated massively. He then re-approached his friends with a look of heavy discomfort.

"I can't go in there."

"Why?"

"It's Valin Hess,"

"Who?"

 _"Valin Hess!_ I used to serve under him,"

Ada moved forward and glanced at the General for a moment, then looked away quickly. "Will he recognise you?"

"I don't know, I was just a field operative but I'm not taking the chance. _It's over."_

Mayfeld attempted to move away but Ada very gracefully stepped in front of the convict, her features frighteningly dark as she stared up at him. She moved closer into him, the height difference apparently not quite stifling her. She sensed the concern and panic in the Mandalorian's signature, and she was not going to let him leave this planet empty handed. 

"I did _not_ come this far to be halted by a convict without a backbone," she told him quietly.

Mando placed his hand on her arm and pulled her away, glancing at her through the visor of his helmet. "Let's just do this quickly and we can go home."

"We can't do it- we _have_ to abort," Mayfeld reaffirmed, glancing at the Jedi. "I'm sorry."

"If we don't get those coordinates I'll lose the kid forever." Mando said, and Ada sensed the pain in the words he had just said. She glanced up at him, hoping to catch something, but felt frustrated by his reserve. The helmet, the armour, the lack of thoughts. She would give anything to just _hear_ something.

"I can go to the terminal," Ada suggested.

Mayfeld scoffed, his features incredulous as he scanned her. "Valin Hess will know who you are, Jedi. Even I do."

Ada felt her features change for a moment, and she said nothing.

"Give me the data stick," Mando demanded quietly.

"It's not gonna work!"

"Give him the damn data stick, convict," Ada said.

"In order to access the network, the terminal has to scan your face." Mayfeld told them.

Ada's blue eyes moved to Mando's armoured body and stiffened, watching for a reaction. Her body flooded cold as she realised that the mission _had_ reached a dead end; there was no way a traditional Mandalorian would remove his helmet - his creed would always come before anything else.

_"Give it to me."_

Mando snatched the data stick out of Mayfeld's hands and immediately left them, sweeping into the room with presence. He slowly strode over to the terminal, and Ada's worried eyes shifted between her Mandalorian ally and the Generals sat at a table closeby. She noticed that Valin Hess' eyes were moving over to Mando occasionally, and she swallowed.

Ada looked back over to Mando, whom was staring at the terminal now. The data stick had been inserted, and he seemed to be fighting with himself. And then finally, he moved his hands and lifted the helmet from his head.

The Jedi glanced away in surprise, feeling instantly protective and loyal to the Mandalorian. She refused to move her eyes back to him, no matter how much her body, heart and soul screamed out for her to look. A head of messy brown hair - it was _all_ she had seen before her heart jumped out of her ribs and lunged to her throat.

Ada couldn't explain why she felt so much loyalty to the Mandalorian - she just knew that she couldn't find it in her to even _peak_ at his face. And yet, every bone in her body trembled with both curiosity and instinct. She wanted to know, but she wouldn't allow herself the pleasure.

And then something very interesting happened.

_He's looking at my face. The Creed is broken._

"His helmet is off," Mayfeld interrupted her pinnacle moment, a stranger to her internal epiphany. "He's actually not too bad to look at. Easy on the ey-"

"Have some respect and look away, Mayfeld," Ada scolded, his words intensifying her desire to know his face. Her heart was suddenly hammering violently against her chest as she forced herself to tune out of his thoughts, but they were so _easy_ to hear. His voice was rich and thick, the perfect baritone in her ears.

It was the helmets all along.

She didn't know how she hadn't noticed his thoughts before; he had his helmet off sometimes, in the privacy of his room. Perhaps he didn't remove it was much as she had assumed.

"The kid must mean a lot to him," Mayfeld said, looking at Ada.

She nodded, drifting from her racing thoughts. "I suppose,"

"Is he like you?"

"Yes."

"That's why you- oh, shit," Mayfeld commented beneath his breath as his gaze moved, and suddenly began to walk away. Ada followed, but the young Jedi stared at the ground and used The Force to sense where she should walk. She would not betray Mando like this; not when he already didn't trust her.

"This is my Commanding Officer, TK-593 Sir," Mayfeld said confidently as he strode over to the group. "And this is my Transport Admiral, TK-267."

 _That son of a bitch. I didn't think I would be so grateful for an Imp._ Mando's thoughts sang to her, and she tried so hard to shut them out. But it was so natural now.

Ada moved to Mando's side, and felt instantly more vulnerable beneath his true gaze - no visor to distort her. And no helmet to distort his thoughts from her. She refused to glance even slightly to his side, and instead the chose to glare at the Imperial Officer before her. His eyes were cruel, face sagging and wrinkled with age and possibly malice.

"I'm afraid you're gonna have to speak up to him a little Sir, since his vessel lost pressure in Tanaab."

"What's your name, Officer?" Valin Hess asked loudly.

There was a pause, before Ada noticed a shift and realised Mayfeld had placed his arm around Mando. "Oh, we just call him Brown Eyes."

_Brown eyes._

"Let's go fill out those TPS reports, so we can recharge the power coils."

Ada did not move - she remained stood in one spot, her blue eyes boring into Valin Hess'. He stared back at her now, and there was a rising tension as he attempted to place where exactly he had seen her face before. It was so obvious to him - and yet he couldn't find the name.

"You're not dismissed," Valin Hess said quietly.

Mayfeld turned back around, and once again Ada refused the temptation to turn her gaze just slightly to the left, and look at the man she had known for little under two weeks - the man without the face. She wanted so badly to know more; the more she heard, the more her body reacted with desperation to see his features. It was so silly - she didn't have a reason. She had never wanted to before, so why now?

"You the tank troopers who delivered that shipment of rhydonium?"

_"Yes sir."_

"Yes.. Sir," Mando added, and Ada melted instinctually at the texture of his voice. Her eyelids closed and she swallowed quickly.

"Well, you three managed to be the only transport today to deliver their shipment."

There was a very long pause as everybody processed the dark words, and Ada was almost sure that he knew at least who she was. His voice was menacing, and the woman swallowed. She moved closer to Mando without exactly knowing what she was doing, naturally feeling much safer by his side.

Then, Valin Hess said something she hadn't expected.

"Let's get a drink-- _Brown Eyes."_


	11. CHAPTER 11: her temper

### CHAPTER 11: her temper

"So what shall we toast to, boys?" Valin Hess' sinister accent filled the room of the cantina, and then his dark eyes fell upon the Jedi woman whom sat at the table with them. He was pouring their drinks. "And _girl."_

Her blue eyes hadn't fallen upon anybody other than the Imperial officer in their presence, with the very occasional exception of a glance at Migs Mayfeld. But they never drifted over to the Mandalorian, whom sat helmetless beside her. She sensed his unease, discomfort, worry. She even sensed the openness of his thought, but not once did she give in.

"I could blather on about 'to _health_ ,' or _'to success._ ' But I like to do something a little less rogue," a strange smile lit his features as the Officer screwed his flask closed, and pushed the first drink over to Ada. Ada stared back at him expressionless and moved it closer to herself.

"Where you from, Brown Eyes?"

Ada stiffened beside him, waiting for Mando's response. It was almost the same as if he did have a helmet on; she still couldn't see his expression, or know what to predict in his response. There was a tense pause, before Mayfeld spoke instead.

"How about a toast to _Operation Cinder?"_

The woman found herself almost disappointed by Mayfeld's interference - not because she disliked hearing of the tragic historical event, but because she had wanted to hear Mando's leathery voice without the stupid moderator of his helmet. His voice melted her very core, even if she couldn't explain why. She just wanted to hear more.

"Now _there's_ a man who knows his history," Valin Hess said pointedly. Ada's hand tightened around her cup, and she wondered if Mando noticed.

"Oh, I don't just know it," Mayfeld corrected. "I lived it."

Ada felt her lungs constrict in discomfort, and despite being one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy she found herself fidgeting in her chair. Her beautiful features had hardened considerably since the conversation had changed, and she was staring through the Imperial's very soul.

As she moved a little, she suddenly felt a large hand on her knee, and her breathing hitched. She fought the urge to glance at Mando, knowing in every part of her that it was _his_ hand - it was the smallest gesture to let her know he understood her agony.

"I was in Burnin Konn," Mayfeld added for clarity.

"That was a hard day," Valin Hess responded distantly, remembering. "I had to make _many_ unpleasant decisions."

Ada's small hands balled into a fist, and then she unfurled one and placed it on top of Mando's hand. It sounds almost like an intimate gesture - but she really just wanted something to bring her back to reality. To prevent her from jeopardising the entire mission. Her slender fingers dug into the flesh of his hand firmly, but nowhere near enough to hurt. Enough to tell him she was struggling.

"Yes, you did. Entire city gone in moments, along with everyone in it."

The Jedi's blue eyes narrowed, letting out a shaky breath. She wasn't sure why Mayfeld was seemingly provoking her by bringing up the event - maybe he was curious about her. About what Mando said about her temper. In the moment of her vulnerability, she lost herself and heard Mando's thoughts - only for a second. His thick voice ran through her mind. _Is she okay? Should I take her somewhere?_

"We lost our whole division that day. Man that was like 5, 10,000 people."

Ada's blue eyes watered, only slightly. Enough to water a starving plant, she illustrated the emotion of a woman merely on the brink of a heart-wrenching outburst. Her soul cried out to calm herself, but she couldn't. She visualised 10,000, all lined up against each other. Their families, _friends_. Their aspirations burned to ashes along with their physical forms.

"All heroes of the Empire," Valin Hess reassured.

"Yeah. And all dead."

"And we've outlasted them, son," he retorted. Ada's jaw slackened in disbelief. "The New Republic is in disarray, and _we_ grow stronger."

Ada unfurled her clenched fist and moved it to her belt slowly, her blue eyes burning with intensity as she listened to the Imperial officer.

"You see, with the rhydonium you've delivered, we can create havoc that's gonna make Burnin Konn look just pale by comparison. You see, everybody thinks they want freedom - but what they really want, is order. And when they realise that, they're gonna welcome us back with open arms. To The Empire."

She connected herself with the Mandalorian's mind in an instant and spoke to him as she moved with intense speed out of her seat. _You were right._

The infamous sound of Ada's blue lightsaber filled the otherwise quiet room, and the Jedi twirled it between her hands across the Imperial officer's chest in a deep fury. An instantly cauterised wound marked her anger across Valin Hess' chest, and his limp body collapsed to the ground in front of her.

The sound of blaster shots dangerously close did not phase her as she rushed forward, fighting tears.

"I hope you _never_ fucking find peace," Ada spat at his dead body, her blue lightsaber still held in her classic reverse grip at her side. "You-"

A hand wrapped around her arm and she looked up, recognising the presence. She met the eyes of Mayfeld, and found that much like hers they were watering. As their eyes met, she instantly discovered through their expression that these were his intentions all long - he wanted Hess to be killed by me. They exchanged a barely noticeable smile.

Ada then noticed a helmet in Mayfeld's hands, and he offered it to the other presence in the room. Ada forced her blue eyes to the ground. "You did what you had to do. I never saw your face."

There was a pause, and then all at once, the world was quiet again. _Too quiet._

The ease of reading Mando's thoughts disappeared from Ada's grasp all too quickly, and she instantly missed the comfort of having him there. But it was also nice to see him again. The woman looked over and found herself smirking at him, unsure of the expression he was hiding behind the trooper mask.

"I _was_ right," was all he said.

The three then suddenly flew over to the window as blaster shots filled the room behind them, and Ada was the first to find herself on the ledge of a thousand metre drop. Her stomach twisted as she looked down and saw the plummeting waterfall beneath her.

"Mando I ca-"

"We don't have time for a heart to heart about being afraid of heights," Mayfeld said quickly, urging her to move as he shot at a trooper inside of the room they left.

Ada pulled herself together and moved to the side, weaving her saber in and out of the shattered glass to block any shots that would have hit them. Her blocks were calculated and yet her mind did not register the movements she made as she shuffled forward, allowing the Force to guide her.

The Jedi reached a ladder and instantly began to climb up it, dipping her saber behind herself to deflect troopers' shots at herself. She supposed that in situations like this, she always had the advantage of sensing when she was in danger - and knowing exactly where it was coming from. She knew that Cara would protect the other two, by sniping from a distance.

She reached the top of the ladder, refusing to look down as she found herself on a small hangar. Her blue eyes searched the skies, and a smile settled on her face when she saw Slave I approaching her.

She didn't bother to look back. Ada threw herself into a sprint all the way across the top of the devastatingly high building, into the direction of Boba's ship. It lowered itself on the edge, just a few metres away. She felt shots hot against her from behind, barely missing.

Ada let out a hopeful breath and leaped into the air, falling back down and tumbling across the iron ramp of Slave I. She rolled over onto her back, and smiled to herself, knowing she had made it. And then when she heard two more similar thuds landing near her, her happiness was sealed.

"One step closer to your kid, Mando," Ada commented. There was no response.

An hour later, and the Jedi and her accomplice had found themselves back to her ship and back in signature beskar armour, lifting themselves back up into the atmosphere. The two were seated in silence in the cockpit of the ship, and Ada could sense the tension without having to feel for it.

She wondered what was causing the tension, but she certainly had a feeling. Now that they were alone again, he was comfortable in brooding.

"Have you begun to formulate a plan for getting onto Gideon's cruiser?" Ada asked softly, looking up at the beskar helmet she had started to grow used to. It didn't move - simply stared ahead out of the viewport.

"No."

Ada looked away and stared at the controls, with a small sigh. _"I didn't see anything."_

That was when the beskar helmet finally moved, and her blue eyes shifted to the dark visor and found where his eyes ought to be. She remembered the nickname Mayfeld had given him, wondering if it was true. Did he really have brown eyes?

_"What?"_

Mando's one worded answer said everything; disbelief and complete doubt. It was quiet, and therefore crackled slightly beneath the modulator.

"I didn't look at your face. I never did."

"Ada, _why_?" Her name on his lips was strange and rare to her, and captured the meaningfulness in the moment. From behind the visor he stared down at her doe-eyed, confused as to why she would have done something like that without truly understanding the values of the Mandalore religion.

"This is the way."

He was taken aback by her words, and stared at her for a very long moment. She too stared back at him, with a small smile on her lips despite the nervous way her heart hammered. She hoped that not only he would believe her, but that he would go back to his normal self - that they could banter like normal again.

"How in Maker's name do you know that phrase?"

Ada looked at the controls of her ship as she considered her information, feeling vulnerable and open to this kind of conversation for the first in a _long_ time. The Mandalorian had removed his helmet with the knowledge that she could and would look at his face - he trusted her. And perhaps she should begin to reciprocate.

"My father served on Mandalore for a short time - he grew closer with a member of the Kryze clan," she explained. "She taught him a lot about your Way."

"Your father, was-"

"He was a Jedi. He trained me." 

The sentence moved through the cockpit like a ghost, and for a moment Mando wasn't so certain that he had even heard it. Though it wasn't anything too profound - he had expected that this was the case. But for Ada to openly tell him something that she openly hated talking about, was the most striking part of the conversation.

He stared at her for a while.

"You didn't see _anything_? Not even a glimpse?"

"Only your hair," Ada told him, but with a very small smile playing on her petal lips. Her eyes met his visor, and she quirked an eyebrow. "Brown and _very_ messy. You cut it yourself?"

"How else would I?" he quipped, and she pursed her lips in amusement.

There was a very long hesitation between her next question, but she finally found the courage. "If you _tell_ me something, is that breaking the Creed also?"

"It depends what you want to know,"

"I want-" she paused, scanning the beskar helmet. "I want to know if you really have brown eyes."

Mando paused, then his helmet tilted as if to look at her more intently. Then finally, "Yes, I do."


	12. CHAPTER 12: dreams of bliss

### CHAPTER 12: dreams of bliss

_Petal lips soft against one another; tears meeting against the skin which pressed up against each other; fingers interlacing, breath quickening, hope sparking. Hearts of stone warming in protest against the galaxy - and then all at once, the vision fades._

The young Jedi pulled herself out of the dream with the same heavy heart as weeks ago, when she had dreamed of the mahogany eyes staring into her. Her lips parted as her mind raced with remembering, going over every fine detail of the vision. She hadn't seen anything, it had all been a bliss tactile illusion. Ada had sensed everything, only to be plunged back into cold consciousness.

Her blue eyes shifted and found the beskar helmet she was so familiar with, sensing the Mandalorian's curiosity as he watched her.

"Want to talk about it?" His thick, modulated voice filled the cockpit of her ship, before they receded back into silence as Ada thought of her response.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You're having nightmares more frequently," he pushed. "Is it about the kid?"

Ada hesitated. "They're not nightmares."

"Then why do you wake up like that almost every day?"

"Because I'm not used to such vivid dreams," she said quietly.

The dreams _had_ been bothering her; since the one about the eyes, they had been growing in vividness as well as frequency. Almost as if they were rising as they slowly reached their goal. She knew that the Force was trying to communicate something to her, but she wasn't entirely sure of what. Ada enjoyed the content of them - the intimacy - but she was frightened of its meaning.

"What are they about?"

"You're chatty today," Ada finally quipped, growing impatient with his questions. He seemed to only pester her when it was about something that she wasn't comfortable with, and she had begun to notice.

"Just making conversation, Jedi," he shrugged, as much as the heavy beskar armour would allow. "We're almost there."

They were lowering into the atmosphere of yet another planet Ada had never visited before; Mando had told her that he intended to conscript some other Mandalorians to help them with their rescue, and she had found herself excited to meet them. They were of different clans to Mando, and apparently even a different creed. They removed their helmets.

Ada's blue eyes grew dull when she realised that it was yet another sand planet; she had to admit that the galaxy did not seem so diverse anymore. Almost half of the places she went to with the quiet Mandalorian were much like Tatooine, and it was growing tedious. She missed Tython.

The Jedi got to her feet and entered into the belly of the ship, leaving Mando behind to safely land the ship. There had, at some point, become a silent understanding that he was now the pilot of the ship despite its ownership. And although Ada would never admit it, she quite enjoyed the lack of responsibility.

She moved gracefully down her ramp and her blue eyes moved across the landscape slowly, scanning each finite detail until it was ingrained into her brain for the next few days. There was wind on this planet, despite the flat sandy terrain - much different to that of Tatooine. She had grown up isolated from life, with the only thing nearby being a moisture farm.

Ada could see that they were standing near a bar, the building seemingly made of clay and scavenged wood. She glanced up her Mandalorian friend with a raise of the eyebrows.

"Charming," she commented dryly.

Before they could move, Ada's blue eyes shifted and she felt something very subtle in the Force; but a warning, nonetheless. The hilt of her lightsaber was suddenly in her hands, and the bright blue blade swung against a body to her left, feeling the disturbance before seeing it.

The unknown person fell to the ground with a final, pained groan. His heads rolled back into his head and he fell limp, the blaster in his hands scattering a few inches to the right of his hand. Ada retracted her saber back into its hilt and walked forward, her vision settling on the tracking fob in his other hands.

She turned to the Mandalorian. "I'm so lucky to have you, Oh Mighty Mandalore Warrior. My protector," she scoffed.

Mando moved past her and like always, chose to ignore the sarcasm in her tone. By now, Boba Fett and Fennec Shand were behind them, staring at the body. Mando crouched down and took the tracking fob, turning it over in his gloved hands. It was flashing bright red, and the warrior sighed.

"A tracking fob. They probably have a puck on you, Jedi."

"Let them come," she replied, her words darker now.

Mando glanced up at her through his dark visor, their eyes unintentionally meeting. He took note of the complete fearlessness in her eyes, and the expression of defiance. This was a woman that knew how powerful she was, and she allowed it to fuel her. His respect for her grew - even if he was worried that her confidence would get her in trouble.

The group entered into the bar, forgetting the brief distraction of the inexperienced and unnamed bounty hunter. Almost immediately their eyes collectively landed on the women at the other side adorned in beskar armour.

Unlike their acquaintance, their helmets were removed as they sat together at a table. The most prominent of the two was a woman with a curious smirk on her face as she looked at Mando, her short red hair pulled back by a headband.

Ada lightly nudged Mando's arm, unable to control her own comments. "She's giving you the bedroom eyes."

Mando moved his arm away, and she heard the crackle of a bemused sigh from behind the beskar helmet. "Hold your tongue, _please_. Just for _ten_ minutes,"

"I can't make any promises-"

_"For me."_

Ada closed her mouth at the final two words, her blue eyes softening against her will. The Jedi caught her action and frowned, unable to place why it had almost melted her heart; it meant nothing to her, realistically. And yet-

"I need your help." Mando spoke directly to the two women now, his voice authoritative and different. There was something different about his tone when he spoke to other people, compared to her. He was softer with Ada - more humoured.

"Not all Mandalorians are bounty hunters," the woman with red hair responded, but her smirk didn't quite disappear. Ada had a feeling that this was the Bo-Katan he mentioned on the ship. She then raised her eyebrows. " _Some_ of us have a higher purpose."

Ada resisted the urge to step forward instinctively, infuriated by her passive aggressive insult directed at Mando. Who did she think she was to speak on something like that -- who was she to dictate whether her purpose was higher? The Jedi's hands closed into fist by her sides, but she fought against the urge to smile. They needed their help.

"They took the child." Mando responded, and there was an air of desperation in his thick voice.

"Who?"

"Moff Gideon."

"You'll _never_ find him," Bo-Katan offered, turning back around slowly.

Boba Fett moved closer to Mando, and Ada sensed determination in his signature. "We don't need these two, let's get out of here."

Bo-Katan's attention was recaptured by the retired bounty hunter's voice, as was the other female sat at the table. Her hair was much darker, as was her skin - she wore it in small plaits at the back of her head.

"You are not a Mandalorian," Bo-Katan accused.

"I never said I was," Boba Fett returned. Ada moved forward as if to remind the others of her presence, but it only alerted the two women more to the edge in Fett's tone. Tension rose, but not the enjoyable kind of tension that was building between Ada and Mando.

"I didn't know side kicks were allowed to talk," the other Mandalorian whose name was lost on Ada provoked, and she narrowed her blue eyes.

"How ironic," Ada commented, but quietened when she felt Mando tense.

Bob Fett moved forward closer toward the unknown woman, his voice lowering with a chuckle. His spoke a long line of Mando'a which Ada struggled to string together, but from what she caught the sentence was menacing. She knew some words of the language, but she found it difficult to communicate.

She turned gently to Mando with a small smile on her lips, ignoring the tension as Fett and the woman glared at one another.

" _Besom_ ," she commented. _Ill-mannered lout._

Mando's beskar helmet tilted in surprise at the word she had uttered, and her blue eyes met with the dark visor. He stared at her for a moment, convinced that she was the most unpredictable person in this entire galaxy. Before he finally replied in his mother-tongue, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"Gar serim." _Yes, you're right._

"You'll be talking through the window of a bacta tank-"

"Alright, easy," Bo-Katan interrupted the tension, and Mando broke his gaze away from the Jedi reluctantly. "Save it for the Imps."

"We have his coordinates," Mando told her.

"You can bring me to Moff Gideon?" the red-head asked in disbelief, and Ada could sense the way her soul jolted in response - excitement interlaced her very being for a moment, before she calmed herself. Out of curiosity, Ada narrowed her eyes and connected herself to the interesting mind. The darksaber.

She disengaged from Bo-Katan's thoughts quickly, satisfied with what she had found. She had heard legends about the darksaber; even her father had told her stories about its existence. Those in possession of such a weapon were contenders for the Mandalorian throne.

"The Moff has a light cruiser. It could be helpful in your effort to regain Mandalore."

Boba Fett's helmet moved. "You gotta be kidding me - Mandalore?"

"Anything is worth saving," Ada told him quietly, and this was the moment that the two women at the table finally noticed the other presence in the room. Their focus shifted, and Bo-Katan frowned.

Her eyes then shifted to the silver hilt at Ada's hip, and her expression hardened.

"You have brought a _Jedi_ with you?" she said the word through her teeth, and pure venom was etched into the tone in her voice. It was quite clear that this particular woman had not yet forgotten the history of the Jedi-Mandalorian wars, in which Mandalore had revolted against the Old Republic and become enemies with the Jedi Order.

"She's different," Mando reassured Bo-Katan. "She's going to help the child."

"All Jedi are the same," Bo-Katan hissed, but her position had faltered slightly.

"Ada is with me. If you want to find Moff Gideon, you'll tolerate the Jedi."


	13. CHAPTER 13: anxious hearts

### CHAPTER 13: anxious hearts

The group were now fulfilling the plan that they had designed so accurately for themselves: in the Imperial transport that they had so efficiently hijacked, the Jedi and the Mandalorian of the gathering found themselves in the very cockpit. Bo-Katan, her friend, and Cara Dune remained in the belly of the ship babysitting _Dr. Pershing._ Behind the transport followed Slave I, occupying the infamous Boba Fett and Fennec Shand; and everything was going according to plan. 

Ada's blue eyes shifted over to the man beside her in the cockpit, sensing almost every emotion. For such a tightly wound strong man, his feelings betrayed the softness in his heart. Anxiety pooled oceans at the base of his stomach, and the eagerness to the see the child only partly eased the tension. He was worried about the safety of everyone around him - worried that they were sacrificing themselves for his cause.

Against everything the young Jedi had been forcing upon herself, she reached forward and gently placed her small hand over his. The Mandalorian tensed at the touch, and his beskar helmet moved to glance at the woman. She met his gaze through the visor, and for once her snarky attitude had escaped her.

Her slender fingers moved down and interlaced between his, and for a moment he did not move his hand - he only stared down at the action, as though he hadn't been touched in any way other than violence in the past twenty years.

And then, his hand tightened around hers.

"I _know_ how you're feeling," Ada told him quietly. It sounded like something anyone would say to comfort another; but Mando knew that she was not exaggerating. He knew that the Jedi could sense every emotion he dealt with just as much as her own. She really did know.

"Are we gonna be okay?" he asked, as though she were a fortune teller. His thick voice was quiet beneath the Mandalorian steel, his biggest tell of sincerity.

"I can't promise _nobody_ will die," she said, glancing away from his visor and finally taking her soft hand from his. There was a strange feeling as she moved it; a longing to return. Her hand felt almost too cold without the heat of his tan skin against hers. She frowned. "But I can promise I will sacrifice everything to save your kid."

"Yourself?" The tone of the question was incredulous.

"Of course."

From behind the visor, Mando stared back at her with an expression of agonising conflict. On the one hand, he had spent years protecting the child from everything - he had nursed him, fed him, raised him as his own for a short time. Loved him.

And yet, there was something very potent in his heart as he considered the idea of Ada taking her life for the boy. He'd known her for little under three weeks, and yet there was something of a connection he hadn't found with anyone else in this Makerforsaken galaxy.

"You will _not_ do that," Mando told her firmly. "If the time comes, you will let fate decide. Your life is not worth his - nobody's is."

Ada's blue eyes narrowed. She knew that there was not any meaning in what he had said - he was simply being compassionate, in his own brooding way. And yet the idea that Mando actually valued her life was enough for her throat to lump, and she turned away from him passively.

"You're underestimating the selflessness of the Jedi,"

"Selflessness is utterly powerless when it gets you killed."

"Spoken by a man who allows fate to decide who lives and dies. What if it were you about to die?"

"Then I would expect my life to be over,"

"You can't expect me to watch you die if there's something I can do to prevent it,"

"That's reckless, not selfless."

"I will do what I must."

"You believe _my_ life more valuable than your own?"

The question stifled Ada from the tense discourse, and she blinked to process it. Her words stopped, and she glared at the thick beskar helmet of the man. There was a small part of her, at the very compass of her soul, which screamed yes. Yes. She couldn't understand why; what was happening to her. But there was a growing part of her which was beginning to care for the grumpy warrior. It terrified her.

And then, as she pushed the instinctual response away, her soft lips twitched into a smile. "Of course not," she said, her tone playful now. "I'm a better fighter. Worth more."

Mando noticed the change in her expression and repressed his own smirk now. "Oh, you are? Perhaps I didn't make it clear enough during our first fight-"

"First fight?" Ada pursed her lips, her blue eyes bright in amusement. "You suggesting a rematch, beskar head?"

Suddenly, Mando's gloved hand shot up and cupped the Jedi's chin roughly. He moved her oval face toward him, and she sensed something in his signature shift as he stared down at her darkly. "You won't see me coming," he murmured, the sound crackling beneath the mask.

Ada blinked, her confidence faltering as she gazed up at him in surprise. She was breathless from the contact, and could still feel his warm fingers grazing her skin.

"Perhaps not, but I'll sense it."

"I like a challenge."

The corners of Ada's petal lips turned, but that didn't do anything to ease the tension that was rising between them. There was a long pause as Mando's last words left a silence in the cockpit, and neither of them knew what to say. The warrior's previous anxiety was now long gone, replaced with a new kind of nervousness. And as the Jedi scanned the man in front of her, armoured in beskar, she came upon the terrifying truth that she was intensely attracted to him.

Ada's slender fingers moved to Mando's hand and removed it from her face, and she glanced away; fear briefly ghosted her features for a moment, as she attempted to cope with her own epiphany. But she wasn't searching for a distraction for too long - the Mandalorian spoke again, taking her away from her whirling thoughts.

"So you speak Mando'a?"

"Not very well," she offered. "Ni was draar interested o'r bic." _I was never interested in it._

"Ni Ru'lis teach gar." _I could teach you._

Ada's smile sweetened as she strung the words together, and deciphered his sentence. "That's kind, but it's pointless. The only person I would be able to talk to is you,"

"It would stifle the enemy," he nudged. "If we could talk without them understanding."

In his words, Ada found misplaced hope; the suggestion almost sounded like he intended to work with the Jedi for longer than just one mission - it didn't sound like a short-term strategy to confuse Moff Gideon. She had to admit that she was beginning to grow very aware of how close they were to their goal - but she somehow wasn't ready to say goodbye to the Mandalorian. Not yet.

Ada's blue eyes shifted to the control panel, and her heart hammered against her chest when she saw the yellow outline of a cruiser on the visual radar.

"Mando-" she said quietly. "We're here."

_a/n: what are you thinking so far? are we moving at the correct pace?_


	14. CHAPTER 14: 'under attack'

### CHAPTER 14: 'under attack'

The Jedi's ocean blue eyes watered as she consumed the character she was playing, her two feet planted in the centre of the Imperial transport cockpit. And as they finally plunged out of hyperspace and into the depths of the very empty galaxy, she threw her hand against the communications system in feigned urgency.

"This is Land Shuttle 2743 -- requesting _emergency docking!"_ she cried, her usually confident voice wobbling beneath the intensity of the hypothetical situation. The others around her seemed to process her acting quickly, realising that she was dangerously exceptional in the arts of falsehood. The Mandalorian in particular found himself unsurprised by the talent; Ada somehow seemed to master everything she attempted.

Mando turned away from Ada as he shifted his attention back to piloting the shuttle, weaving in and out of Boba Fett's relentless fire. Of course, he was purposefully missing the ship -- but that didn't mean he wasn't firing alarmingly close to them. It had to look convincing.

Bo-Katan moved closer to the control panel and stared at the cruiser they were flying towards, and Ada sensed the nostalgia and anticipation coursing through her veins -- she had waited a very long time for this opportunity.

"Say it again," Bo-Katan urged.

"Repeat, requesting emergency docking!" Ada said, re-engaging with the communications system. She glanced at the beskar helmet beside her, almost for reassurance. "We are under attack."

 _"Copy, command shuttle-"_ a voice on the other end finally crackled beneath the intercom, a female voice. _"Request received."_

There was a pause, before the voice spoke again. _"Stay clear of launch tube. Deploying fighter squadron."_

Ada's blue eyes widened as she moved away from the control panel, and she looked down at the Mando. Her small hand hovered ever so slightly over the silver hilt of her lightsaber. But without so much as looking up, the Mandalorian reached up and pulled her hand away. He didn't say a word to her, but she understood. He was telling her not to repeat past actions.

"I can do _much_ more damage out there, than in _here_ ," she reasoned quietly.

He was silent, much to his usual character. She huffed, but very quietly accepted that she wouldn't be throwing herself out of any ships today. She remembered how furious he had been the last time she had done that; even if she hadn't been hurt. And for some peculiar reason, Ada found that she didn't want to upset him like that again.

There was not even a minute's delay before finally, scattered TIE fighters began to deploy out of the colossal starship cruiser and toward Boba Fett's Slave I. The Jedi hadn't known the retired bounty hunter for very long, but she found that against all odds she was concerned for his safety.

She wrapped her slender fingers around the thick beskar covering one of Mando's arms, and tugged slightly. "Let me help Boba."

"You will _stay_ in this cockpit until we have docked. Do you understand me?" he answered finally, his thick voice authoritative beneath the modulator.

"Mando-"

_"Ada."_

Her name on his lips affected her the same as all of the other times; she quietened, but not without scowling at the beskar-plated warrior to her left. She glanced out of the view port as they reached closer and closer to the large cruiser, and she attempted to control her own panicked emotions.

The sound of TIE fighters swooping around their transport filled her ears, and reminded her of much more difficult times behind her. It had been a very long time since she had been anywhere near such a vast Imperial base - and she found her heart swollen with melancholy for a moment.

"Request to dock _denied_. Please clear Launch 2 until fighters deploy!" A voice sounded on the comms system, breaking Ada away from her worries.

"Negative, we are under attack!" Ada yelled back.

_"Clear Launch 2 immediately."_

Their ship continued at the same velocity toward the docking station, and Ada glanced behind them to see Slave I suddenly swerve to the side aggressively out of the way. She turned back, and her dark waves bounced against her back as she held the back of Mando's piloting chair. He was stiff as he threw them through the tight gap in the centre of Launch 2, and the wings scraped alongside the metal sides of the cruiser dock.

Many Imperial generals and troopers rushed out of the way as they only slightly slowed down, and sparks kicked up against the metal of the transport ship. And then almost all at once, it completely plunged into stillness.

The cockpit was silent for a moment; then finally, the group spun around and began to pile into the belly of the ship ready for battle. All but two.

Ada's blue eyes shifted up as the Mandalorian slowly rose out of his chair, and the cockpit suddenly became thick with unspoken words between them. The others were now nervously calling to each other as they bustled out of the ship and onto the Imperial cruiser - but the noise was only faint as the Jedi stared up into the visor of Mando's beskar helmet.

When it became clear that neither of them were capable of the words they wished to speak, Mando shifted. But one, simple, soft word halted the intimidating warrior from making any further movements.

 ** _"Din,"_** Ada said softly, tasting the name on her tongue.

For the first time she had said the name, it sounded almost like she had uttered the word thousands of times across the galaxy. Her tone was gentle, and alluring. She had somehow found the perfect time in several weeks to finally speak his name, and it was from that second that the Mandalorian realised he was cursed.

He stared back at her, waiting for her to continue. But it seemed that all of her entire energy had been consumed by the intimate uttering of his first name. Her blue eyes shifted across the beskar, realising that she had nothing to say -- what can you say, if not everything?

Ada delicately moved forward and pressed her small hands against his chest plate, looking up at him through her dark eyelashes. And finally, she found a smile.

"Be safe," she finally said.

"Be _smart_ ," was his quiet reply, the advice crackling slightly behind the mask.

"I always am."

"I mean it," he reinforced, moving his large hands to hers on his chest. They encompassed her, and gently guided them away from his body. "Don't be reckless. Not today,"

"We'll see,"

"Ada, _don't_. I can''t-" Mando lost his sentence for a moment, and stared at her through his dark visor as if realising something very pinnacle and unique. He said absolutely nothing, but simply absorbed the warmth of her hands and hoped with every centre of his being that the woman wouldn't be hurt.

Ada furrowed her eyebrows, but finally used the last of her emotional energy to draw back from him. But not before guessing what he wanted to say. "Me neither."

"I thought you couldn't read my mind," he said.

"I didn't," she replied. "I'm conjecturing."

"And what if you conjectured _wrong_?"

"Do you want to know _what_ I conjectured?"

There was a long pause, and Mando fought every instinct to move forward and press his hands somewhere along the curve of her body; her hips, her waist -- anything to claim her as his own. In fact, Mando swore to himself that in that very moment he had never wanted a woman so painfully in the history of his existence. In every single way possible.

"Tell me," he said, his voice impossibly low.

Ada's blue eyes moved along his beskar helmet as she considered her words; she had always been a confident, bold woman -- and yet somehow with Mando, with Din, it was different. She felt suffocated by her own nervousness of the words she wished to say. She was convinced that he was bewitching her body and soul, and she couldn't even see his face. She didn't even know who she was developing such feelings for.

"I think you meant to say that you can't lose me," she whispered.

She sensed Mando's signature shift slightly; something in his emotions rose, though what she wasn't sure. But she fought against every ounce of curiosity not to connect their minds, and read his precise reaction to her words.

"You sound very certain,"

"I'm not."

"Maybe I meant to say, 'I can't help you if you're going to be reckless.' Or -- 'I can't rescue the kid without you.'"

"Maybe you did."

"I might be indifferent toward you,"

_"Are you?"_

The word hung in the air between them, serving as a profound milestone in the peculiar relationship they had been forming over the past weeks. It was becoming abundantly clear to both of them that if even if there were any feelings to acknowledge in the first place, it would be impossible for them to speak of them. The two were too reserved -- too strong, and far too stubborn, to admit anything.

Before the Mandalorian could answer, Cara Dun appeared at the entrance of the cockpit with an impatient expression on her face.

"Come on, love blurrgs. We have a kid to save, remember?"


	15. CHAPTER 15: moff gideon

### CHAPTER 15: moff gideon

Ada cried out a warning as she whipped the lightsaber hilt from her belt and ducked away from a poorly aimed blaster shot, dipping back around the corner before she could be hit. The Jedi was at least thankful that after several years, the clone troopers that led the Imperial army had never even marginally improved their skills in battle.

The corridor of the cruiser glowed a deep, ocean blue as she held the weapon in a reverse grip at her side, quickly catching her breath. Her eyes shifted toward the beskar helmet of her companion, whom had stayed by her side since they left the hangar. He held his blaster by his hip, carrying a rifle and the long spear behind his back. There was something powerful about the way he carried the several weapons, but the Jedi was far too distracted to dwell on the feeling.

Mando shifted around the corner and shot his blaster with terrifying precision and reflexes, shooting one of the stormtroopers dead within half a second of showing himself. Ada quickly rushed forward and stepped ahead of him, using her blade to deflect any shots that were fired in their direction; in his direction.

For the first time in over ten years, it seemed that the young woman finally had something to fight for -- since losing her parents, she had a goal. She was careful in battle, more cautious than she usually was when she had nothing else to lose. Now, she had found somebody worth being careful for.

The lightsaber spun between her fingers effortlessly as she reached a pair of troopers, and they were collapsing to the floor within only a second of her being there. The weapon had whipped against their defenceless armour, taking their lives as if they were not true people, but only droids. Of course, they weren't droids -- but it was difficult to have empathy in such dire situations.

Ada could sense another force-user within walking distance; she could feel The Force flow through her veins and call out to her almost as much as she had when the small child had rested upon the Seeing Stone. It was searching for others with a heart of gold - somebody that would help the child before it was too late.

Ada's blue eyes shot up when she heard the sound of a vast door hissing open, and then Mando groaned under his breath. He threw himself into a sprint and began adjusting the controls of the terminal closest to the door - but the Jedi simply stared at what was behind it.

"We're too late," she said lowly, sensing dread in the Force. At least one of them was going ot get out. "Mando, _please_ move back-"

"We can fight it," he assured her, his thick voice confident behind the beskar.

Ada's grip on the lightsaber tightened, as she watched the dark trooper wrench open the double-glaze, reinforced steel door, and step outside. There was a daunting atmosphere that cast over them as they stared at the large Imperial droid; before they finally kicked into action. But before Ada could so much as swing her lightsaber, the droid had grabbed her by the shoulders.

The Jedi cried out in pain as it slammed her furiously against the wall behind her, and she was given a bitter-sweet taste of the droid's intense strength and power for combat. She felt the weight of it push her into the wall, and her lungs began to suffocate against it.

"Din-" Ada rasped, attempting to kick against the droid. But it didn't budge.

There was a very small moment in which the young Ada convinced herself she was going to suffocate to death before they had even found the child -- at the hands of a droid, rather than the dreaded Moff Gideon. She could hear Mando behind the droid, struggling just as she was to get it to take its hands away from her. He was firing so many blaster shots at it, kicking, groaning -- _everything_.

But after much longer she might have hoped, the Mandalorian finally turned to his last resort. He ripped the beskar spear away from his back and deeply wedged it into the neck of the dark trooper, and sparks hissed at the impact. The droid's grip immediately eased on her, and she collapsed to the ground along with it.

Her chest felt far too heavy as she struggled on the ground, and once again in the space of two minutes she became convinced of her own imminent death. Her eyes closed, and she heard nothing but the sound of a terminal and a loud roar as something opened nearby. But after a few moments, the ease of breathing began to return.

Her blue eyes re-opened to see Mando crouched before her, and even though she couldn't see his face she knew that he was concerned. A small smile passed by her lips as she forced herself into a sitting position.

"That was a _very_ powerful droid-" Ada commented, glancing back to the doors it ha come from. She now noticed that the room behind it was completely empty, courtesy of the open vessel leading to the outside galaxy.

"They're gone now," Mando told her. He placed his hands underneath her elbows and rose her back onto her feet, and finally Ada's strength was coming back to her.

"You know what? We _really_ take breathing for granted,"

"I'm _sure_ we do," Mando responded as they continued up the corridor. There was clear amusement in his tone of voice, and Ada couldn't repress her smirk despite circumstances.

The two continued up the corridor for a surprising length of time, rarely coming across any storm troopers -- when they did, it was short work for both of them. Ada inwardly concluded to herself that the troopers were gathering at the Bridge, where Bo-Katan and the others had gone to find Moff Gideon to retrieve the Dark Saber.

Mando and herself had instead gone a different way, in search of the child he would risk his life for so many times. They rounded a corridor, and her blue eyes landed on a pair of stormtroopers seemingly guarding something. Her heart lifted in hope.

The Mandalorian gripped the beskar spear in his hands and marched toward them, throwing the point directly into the neck of the first trooper. He suffocated in surprise from behind his armour, and collapsed to the ground; Mando then took the spear against the others' throat, and held it there for a painfully long time.

When the corridor looked clear, Ada's blue eyes shifted around and found Mando's side quickly.

The doors to the room hissed open, and the Jedi's lips parted in a mixture of emotions; a cacophony of thoughts encircled her brain -- some her own, others the loud and furious thoughts of Mando as he saw his child in imminent danger. She sensed anger and rage, but most of all she sensed relief that he was alive.

Ada's blue eyes moved to the child - Grogu - and she found it in her heart to smile at the child. He stared back at her with large doe-eyes, and she almost deluded herself into thinking he was glad to see her; someone of his own kind. Someone who understood. She felt herself transform in an instant from a powerful Jedi, to a woman whose maternal instincts became everything. And she didn't even know the kid. There were tiny, Force-repressing restraints around his hands which infuriated her.

Her focus then shifted to the Imperial leader, who held his intimidating weapon so close to the child. His dark features were scowling back at them as they stood in the doorway. Moff Gideon.

Mando walked into the room with his blaster held at his hip like he always held it, and there was an unmistakeable determination in his step. Ada etched forward slowly, remaining behind the warrior; for as long as she was behind him, she felt safe. Even if she did plan on something terriblyJedi of her.

"Drop the blaster." Moff Gideon's dark voice filled the silence. " _Slowly_."

Mando's beskar helmet tilted ever so slightly, as though he was glancing at his female counterpart for a moment. He then bent down and placed the blaster on the concrete ground of the cruiser, in front of them.

"Now kick it over to me. _Along_ with the lightsaber."

Ada's blue eyes burned into Gideon's as she fought against every instinct within her to throw herself at him. But she couldn't risk the child's life in that way; this was the most self-restraint the woman had ever elicited since knowing the Mandalorian. She refused to give into her primal instincts, not now.

And so, she chucked the silver hilt of her weapon onto the ground without breaking eye contact, and furiously kicked it over to the Imp.

"Give me the kid," Mando demanded quietly; it was that tone again. The one that absolutely commanded the room.

"The kid is just fine where he is," Gideon replied dismissively. He glance down at Grogu, and waved the Darksaber just above his head tauntingly. The child gurgled in discomfort, and she could sense the fear.

Ada's slender fingers twitched, trying with everything in her not to clench her fist. She couldn't let him see just how mad she was.

"Mesmerising, isn't it?" Gideon continued, now pointing the Darksaber toward the two. "Used to belong to Bo-Katan... Yes, I _know_ you've been travelling with Bo-Katan. Little piece of friendly advice, assume that I know _everything_."

Moff Gideon's dark eyes then shifted over to Ada, whom stood stiffly just behind the Mandalorian. She was close enough that her chest was softly pressed against arm, and her tan features were scowling deeply at him.

"Like the fact that I know you are **Ada Kenobi,** an _unknighted_ Jedi whose parents were murdered sixteen years after the Jedi purge."

The room froze as Ada's blue eyes stared at Gideon in surprise, not having heard her full name since her father was still alive. She refused to look at the Mandalorian, despite feeling his whole body tense with the information. He understood her -- he understood that speaking of her past only brought her pain. And for some odd reason, Mando was filled with rage on her behalf - how dare Gideon violate her privacy?

"You will close your mouth if you know what's sensible for you," Ada said quietly, though her ocean eyes watered.

"Why? You are hardly a threat to me, Kenobi. You never even faced the trials. Too frightened-"

Ada closed her eyes, using the absolutely last of her energy to resent the anger inside of her. She hated that it took so much out of her just to control her temper; she was too much like Vader, and they were not even related. Too much agony in her life had brought her here-- there was a reason she had never faced the Trials. Aher mother had been killed, she was filled with so much pain and fear. And such a heavy desire for revenge.

"And yet, here you are," Gideon finally said, breaking her out of her thoughts. "You stand without the real title of a Jedi, only blood. _Still_ so ready to sacrifice yourself for a child you have never met."

" _What?"_ Mando interrupted, his leathery voice crackling beneath his modulator.

Ada's blue eyes widened at his words, worried that she had been read so easily by the enemy.

"It's the Jedi way, is it not? To be _so_ selfless," Gideon said the word with acid, taunting the Jedi Order for being so compassionate. Ada narrowed her blue eyes.

"You wouldn't know of compassion, Gideon. You have _never_ known it."

"But it _is_ why you're here. You know that we need the Midichlorian count of a Force-user - of _any_ Force user. It would be a _simple_ exchange, correct?"

Ada's blue eyes finally moved away from Gideon as she sensed a change in Mando's Force signature, just as he came to realise what she was going to do. Everything changed in that moment; he became livid - not with her, but with the idea of losing her to the Empire. He had already lost so much - his family, his planet. _Not her_.

 _"Get the child,"_ Mando commanded as he grasped the beskar spear on his back and pulled it in front of him, charging at Moff Gideon. Their weapons crashed together with a violent hiss, and suddenly the two men were throwing themselves into the most furious and aggressive fight she had ever beheld.

Ada rushed desperately out of the way and reached little Grogu, taking the bundle of sweetness into her arms and immediately cradling him. The child cooed in surprise at her gentleness, and Ada's blue eyes softened when they met his -- he looked up at her with instant comfort and trust, and she could sense that he was happy in her arms.

She was the first person to hold him in such a way in several days -- not since the Mandalorian had left him on the Seeing Stone. The way she held him, so protectively yet so adoringly, reminded Grogu of the way his father held him. How the Mandalorian cradled him.

The Jedi moved her free hand around Grogu's small head as she glanced up at the men deep in combat, and her heart swelled in concern for the heavily armoured warrior. She could sense the passion in the way he wielded the beskar spear; and a selfish part of her wondered whether their safety was fuelling him.

He finally knocked the Darksaber out of Moff Gideon's grip, and everyone watched as the hilt of the weapon crashed across the floor and behind Mando. Ada pursed her lips as she watched him move the point of his spear directly to the Imperial leader's throat threateningly -- and it became abundantly clear who had won. She was filled with so much warmth upon seeing his power, his strength. Maker, he was so skilled in combat. She could hardly say anyone would be able to match him.

And as he retrieved the Darksaber from the ground, Ada came to the stifling realisation that he was now the rightful ruler of the planet Mandalore. And Maker, forgive her sins but it was her most shameful turn on.

After placing the Imperial in his own pair of handcuffs, the Mandalorian walked over to her slowly and she got to her feet, still cradling the child in her arms. There was a very intense atmosphere between the two as she stared through his dark visor for a brief moment; too many unspoken words, one might think. Too many things to think about.

Instead, Mando's helmet tilted and he lowered his gaze to Grogu. He looked perfectly content in the Jedi's arms, almost as though he had been waiting for her all along. His huge dark eyes were soft with joy and relief to see him, and his tiny hands reached out to touch the beskar helmet.

Ada smiled down at him. "Are you happy, kiddo?" she giggled.

The soft tone of voice captured Mando's attention and he looked back at her, taken aback. He hadn't expected the young woman to be so immediately nurturing toward the kid. It was stifling, how thoroughly complex she was. It seemed almost like Ada Kenobi had several personalities, each elicited by different people.

He couldn't decide which he enjoyed the most.


	16. CHAPTER 16: the other jedi

### CHAPTER 16: the other jedi

The bridge of the Imperial cruiser carried a very different atmosphere to the rest of the ship upon entering. The dead bodies scattered across the ground far outnumbered the living occupants, whom all stood close to the centre of the room in anticipation for the Jedi and Mandalorian to return with the Force-sensitive child.

And yet despite all three returning with breath in their lungs and bright eyes, there was something very wrong about the way they were greeted. Ada walked close behind her Mandalorian friend, with his child tucked comfortably into the crook of her neck. Mando carried in one hand the Darksaber, and in the other its previous in cuffs.

Ada's blue eyes watched Bo-Katan take a step forward, her lips parting when she saw the weapon in Mando's hand. She moved closer to them as they came to the middle of the room, and Moff Gideon was thrown to the ground.

"What happened?" Bo-Katan's voice filled the bridge, and Ada sensed her unease.

"We have rescued the child," Ada explained.

"And brought Moff Gideon alive, _that's_ what happened," Cara Dune added. The two women caught each other's eye, and smirked. It seemed that perhaps they had a very mutual distaste for the entitled female Mandalorian. "And now the New Republic's gonna have to _double_ the payment."

"That's not what she's talking about," Moff Gideon interrupted darkly.

Ada knew exactly what Bo-Katan was meaning by her words, and the object of her intense disappointment in her signature. She knew the history of the blade Mando now wielded, and why it was so important to Bo. But the Jedi was not going to involve herself in the conversation.

"Why don't you kill him now, and _take it?"_ Gideon asked.

Ada's blue eyes shifted up to the dark visor of Mando's helmet, concerned only for a second. Cara Dune crouched and shoved Gideon back down, ceasing his efforts to get back onto his feet. A terrifying smile stretched onto Moff Gideon's face as he looked up at Mando.

"It's yours now."

" _What_ is?"

"The Darksaber. It belongs to you."

Bo-Katan's features remained stealthily unreadable, but it was quite clear to see that she was holding herself back in anger. The weapon slowly retracted back into its silver hilt, and the Mandalorian walked forward toward the female of his kind. She stared back at him expressionless.

"No, it belongs to _her."_

He held the weapon out to her in offering, but Bo-Katan only looked back at him.

"She can't take it, it must be _won_ , in battle" Moff Gideon explained, and you could see the pleasure he took from Bo-Katan's disappointment. "In order for her to wield the Darksaber again, she would need to defeat _you_ in combat."

The Mandalorian processed the words for a moment, then offered her the saber once more. "I yield. It's yours."

"Ohhh no," Gideon said. This time, he managed to get back to his feet, though his hands were still bound. He came closer to the two, but Ada simply watched from afar. "It doesn't work like that. "The Darksaber doesn't have the power, the _story_ does. Without that, she's a pretender."

There was a long pause as Bo-Katan stared into the distance, refusing to look at the saber which was still extended out to her, before finally, her words filled the silence: "He's right."

Before anyone could say anything else, suddenly the terminals on either side of the cruiser bridge began to scream out to those inside it. They lit up bred, alerting the dead bodies that life forms were approaching quickly. Ada moved forward and glanced at one of the terminals with a small frown, not entirely sure what could be such a threat now that they had taken down the main ship.

Fennec Shand moved over to one of the terminals and narrowed her brown eyes. "The ray shields have been breached, we're being boarded."

"How many life forms?" Ada asked.

_"None."_

Her blue eyes shifted and met with the dark visor of Mando, and saw that he was already looking at her. She could sense that he had tensed with the information, and they were simultaneously coming to the very same- very alarming - conclusion. Her grip around Grogu in her arms tightened, and she glanced down at him.

"You ready for your first lesson, kiddie?" she said gently, attempting to mask the fear in her voice.

"You're about to face _all_ of our dark troopers," Moff Gideon said quietly. He then turned to the Jedi at his side. "And you had your hands full with _one_. Let's see how you do against a platoon."

Ada let out a panicked breath and stared at one of the screens, which showed the CCTV all the way around the cruiser. She watched as several dark troopers landed into the corridor somewhere in the cruiser, moving in perfect unison. She watched their terrifying red eyes spark, in search of the enemy.

"They're headed this way," Ada said softly to the person that had found her side, at the other end of the room to the rest of the group. They were closest to the door, stood in front the largest terminal. The Mandalorian looked down at the small green creature in her arms, and concern encompassed him.

Everything he had learned to care for, was about to be ripped away from him by droids. Again.

They stood together in complete silence as they watched the troopers move ominously through the cruiser, growing closer and closer by the second. Ada found herself moving closer to her companion, almost by instinct.

"Din," she whispered, not looking away from the terminals.

"Don't," was his quiet reply. "It's not necessary."

"Are you quite sure?" she bit back, somehow finding humour in the circumstance. "It doesn't look good for us."

"No, it doesn't."

"They're here." Fennec announced, just as loud footsteps could be heard from outside the door. And then, a chorus of cacophonous sound exploded into the room when the dark troopers began to smash their heavy metal fists against the closed bridge door. The sound echoed around the room, and Ada closed her hand over Grogu's sensitive ears.

Ada's blue eyes moved to the group at the back of the room, and watched as each of them individually moved their blasters and rifles into position. The two Mandalorian's pulled their blue helmets back over their head in preparation, and despite holding a child, the Jedi's hand moved over the hilt of her lightsaber.

"I've got you, kid," Ada whispered down to Grogu, with the knowledge that only he and Mando could hear the gentle words.

"If any of them touch you-"

" _Hey_ ," Ada's blue eyes found the visor of Mando's helmet, shocked by the feral tone in his voice as he considered her death. Imminent death had never felt so intimidate before as she stared up at him, almost enjoying the sound of his protective voice. She found herself - foolishly - wanting to be in danger, just to hear it again. "They won't touch me. I'm-"

Her words were interrupted by the alarms in the bridge sounding again, and she looked out of the vast viewport. And then, her beautiful blue eyes widened with a sinking heart when they laid on the X-Wing soaring through the galaxy toward the hangar. And she sensed somebody she hadn't sensed in a very long time -- somebody she had thought to be dead.

" ** _Luke,"_** she whispered, barely audible.

Goosebumps rose along her body, and her free hand moved to her mouth as she attempted to decipher the overwhelming nostalgia flooding her body. #

" **X-wing,** " somebody said, but the voice was a blur.

"1 X-wing? Great, we're saved." Another voice commented dryly.

"Who's Luke?" Mando said quietly beside her, nudging the young woman's shoulder. He noticed her trance-like state, and realised quickly that she had gone into shock. He turned his gaze back to the terminal screen, and watched as a cloaked figure disembarked the X-wing with confidence.

And then, he ignited a weapon similar to something he had seen a hundred times now. The cloaked figure wielded a bright green lightsaber in his hands, effortlessly weaving in and out of the many stormtroopers. He cut through them with even more skill than Ada could ever demonstrate, and moved with speed which was incomprehensible.

Ada's eyes watered as she watched the anonymous cloaked figure slowly make its way through the halls of the Imperial cruiser, knowing in her heart and mind exactly who the person was. She could feel it in _every_ part of her body -- and as she glanced down at the small child in her arms, she realised that he could feel it too.

The wait was _agonising_ for Ada.

Watching on the screen, it felt like time was standing still. The reunion was both inevitable, and impossible. It was too far away, and yet he was stood just outside the door to the bridge. One last dark trooper. On the screens, the group watched as the enemy sorcerer violently took his lightsaber down against the final droid, and sparks emitted from the metal. Her eyes watered uncontrollably in anticipation.

And then,

_"Open the doors."_

Mando's voice broke the startled silence as everyone processed what the anonymous being had been capable of. A platoon of dark troopers all demolished within minutes, paving its way into their direction. Ada sensed the fear that encompassed everyone, though they didn't show it. They knew that the person was like her. More powerful than her, even. But Mando had seen the emotion in

Fennec breathed out heavily. "Are you crazy?"

"I said open the doors."

"Open them," Ada finally disengaged from her moment, and blinked.

She watched as the Mandalorian moved his hand over to the terminal and pressed the orange button, and the bridge doors finally ground open. And as they did, the only thing that was briefly visible beneath the intense smoke lapsing into the bridge was a glowing green lightsaber.

And then, the cloaked figure stepped forward into the bridge, receded his saber back into its hilt and took down his hood.

Ada's lips parted as her blue eyes landed on blue. And as he placed the tan features of her face, the Jedi Knight seemed to have the very same reaction to her being there as she had. He let out a surprised breath, searching her expression for anything for a moment. Years had passed since their last encounter - too many years.

"Luke Skywalker," Ada said, after a long moment of silence. Her voice was strong, despite how faint she felt.

"Ada Kenobi?"

Mando's beskar helmet moved between the two, and the female Jedi could sense his heart beat strum against his rib cage as he came to realise that the two knew each other. And he was the most uncomfortable by their reunion, out of the group. He radiated every negative emotion possible. And most of all, he hated that the mysterious Jedi knew her full name, and he hadn't.

"Yes," Ada breathed.

"I haven't seen you since-"

"Since you left Tatooine with my father."

Luke Skywalker's blue eyes softened as he recalled the memory, and his eyes travelled down to her wrist for a brief moment. He had always lived in regret that he had never returned to Tatooine to guide the woman through the grief of her father - old Ben Kenobi had been a wonderful mentor to Luke. But he had taught Ada first.

"You still wear it?" Luke asked gently.

Ada's gaze followed his, and then her slender fingers reached for the bracelet clasped neatly around her wrist. She was going to comment, but something felt wrong about it now; and she had a feeling that it had something to do with the Mandalorian stood close beside her.

The Jedi woman then moved her focus to the small child that still nuzzled into her arms comfortably. Her blue eyes found his, and she smiled at the boy very fondly. And then, she handed the bundle over to the warrior whose heart only melted for Grogu.

Mando took him into his arms with ease, looking down at him through the dark visor. Grogu stared back up at his father with doe-eyes, and in that moment Ada sensed all of the melancholy in the world coming from Mando.

"He doesn't want to go with you," the Mandalorian said, his thick voice crackling under the modulator.

"He wants your permission," Luke replied, sensing just what Ada sensed.

The grief in the Mandalorian's force signature intensified, meeting sadness and loss alongside it. Ada had never realised just how deeply he cared for the child, and it only tightened the vice around her own heart for him. Mando was just so soft, so compassionate; so paternal. It was absurd, from such a powerful man.

"He is strong with the Force, but talent without training is nothing," Luke continued. "I will give my _life_ to protect the child. But he will not be safe until he masters his abilities."

"Ada, I thought-"

"I cannot train him," Ada said gently, not quite meeting Mando's gaze. "You have seen how much more powerful Luke is. He is a true master, not me."

Mando processed the words, utterly overwhelmed with how much he simply didn't want to give up the child. But he trusted the Jedi; he somehow trusted Luke. Mando stared back at the child for a very long time, before he did something that not anyone else quite expected. Ada looked away when he used his free hand to lift the beskar helmet from his head, perhaps so that Grogu might know his father's face.

She stared down at the ground, as loyal and respectful of the Mandalorian creed as she always had been. Even if now, more than the last time, she felt an intense need to find his brown eyes and know his features. A long moment passed, and Ada supposed that he was saying goodbye to the green creature as best as he could.

And then, her blue eyes turned to Luke. Grogu was waddling over to him now, taking small steps over the marble floor of the cruiser. The Jedi Knight was staring at her with longing she had recognised before, and she wondered if Din had ever looked at her like that from behind the helmet.

"Are you coming, Ada?" he asked.

The question stifled the woman, and she stared back at him in surprise.

"To where?"

"The Jedi Academy," he said quietly. "You can complete your training."

Ada's blue eyes shifted away from Luke, and stared off into the distance as she considered -- though to her, it wasn't really much of a choice. She felt the presence of the Mandalorian stood close beside her, but she refused to turn and glance at his face. And yet, he was _every_ part of the decision she was internally making. With the helmet off, his thoughts were so vulnerable - so _there_. And yet, she didn't allow herself the satisfaction. It was enough to sense his emotional turmoil as he witnessed the conversation - it was enough to know what _he_ wanted.

And even if he would never admit it - even if _Ada_ would never admit it - the two were not quite ready to say goodbye yet. They needed more time. 

"I don't think so," Ada finally gave her answer. "The Jedi life, it isn't for me. But it's for _him_ ," she nodded toward Grogu, whom looked perfectly content.

"Are you sure?"

Ada pursed her lips, repressing the urge to move closer into the Mandalorian she had grown to need.

_"Goodbye, Luke."_

**_END OF PART ONE._ **


	17. CHAPTER 17: new beginning

### CHAPTER 17: new beginning

Once she was alone, in the safety of her father's old ship, Ada Kenobi finally allowed herself to crumble into a writhing, melancholy tragedy. The Jedi collapsed to her knees just in front of her bed, confident in being alone, and allowed herself the satisfaction of sobbing until her throat became coarse and weak. Her shoulders shook gently as she fell to pieces, her mind racing with the memories of the final mission.

Ada wasn't entirely sure which detail had damaged her soul the most. Moff Gideon's painful reminders of who she had once been had directly struck into the core of her being, and she found herself tortured by the shame of who she had allowed herself to become in her father's memory-- she hadn't faced the trials, she hadn't knighted herself. Instead, the new orphan had abandoned her upbringing and taken an entirely different path, refusing to endorse such a regime.

And seeing Luke again; the Jedi's heart swelled as she remembered the way her heart had lifted when she saw the X-wing, and she found herself crying just a _little_ harder. The shock of seeing him again was possibly one of the strongest contributors to her meltdown. She hadn't known that Luke Skywalker was even alive, let alone a Jedi like herself. She assumed instead that he had been killed, like her father.

And then, her gentle mind again. Her tears were becoming hysterically overwhelmed as she considered her every failure. She had let down Mando - Din. She had led him with her own delusions that she would be able to teach his child the ways of the Force, and then she had let Luke take him away. She remembered the pain she had sensed from the Mandalorian - the grief, and suffering. The 'rescue' was all for nothing, she knew that's what he was thinking.

And most of all, Ada was _terribly confused._

The Jedi felt conflicted by her own decision to leave Luke. She had always longed to be with people of her own kind- that had been her primary goal for ten years. And then suddenly, in the blink of an eye, something became much more important to her than her own kind. Her blue eyes closed as she pictured the beskar helmet, not understanding her attachment.

The choosing of the Mandalorian over Luke had been an easy one. And that to her, was utterly stifling. It had defied her every motive for the past decade as she searched for other Force users. She wondered to herself what was so special about the Mandalorian, for her to choose him so quickly.

Her soul wavered, the answer written very deeply in every tear she shed.

The Jedi slowly got to her feet, and aggressively wiped the tears from her tan features. It was almost as though a switch had been flipped, the faucet turned abruptly. The ability to remove oneself from emotion had been a learned one, courtesy of the teachings of her father.

_Attachment is forbidden, as is strong emotion. One must not cry, if to remain one with the Force._

Ada moved a piece of her dark hair away from her face as she left the privacy of her own quarters, and walked delicately into the cockpit. Her eyes refused to look at the Imperial leader who was tied up in the belly of the ship, brooding furiously about his own capture.

The Jedi quickly found the man she was searching for, a dark cloud over his head as he dwelled on what had just happened. It seemed that all three of the people in her ship were struggling with similar dark thoughts. Mando was quietly piloting their ship aimlessly, as neither of them had discussed yet where they were going.

_Where they were going._

She looked at him in silence for a very long time as she became lost in her own endless thoughts. She had chosen this man over everything she had ever known, and he didn't even know who she was. And she didn't really know who he was - it was a perfect coupling to work together, but it was the worst coupling for the agonising feelings she had developed for him.

"Are you okay?"

The question fell from Ada's petal lips very quickly, the concern in her tone causing the Mandalorian to turn his head. It took a second for him to respond, noticing the bloodshot eyes and blotchy features.

"Yes, the child is safe." His answer was short, and quiet. It was his one tell; Ada wasn't sure when she had learned to analyse him so clearly, but she had.

"I _know_ you're pissed at me."

"For what? Letting a _stranger_ take my kid instead of you?"

"I trust Luke, there is nothing he wouldn't do to protect Grogu."

"I trust _you_ more than him," Mando retorted with speed. "I had to give him to an enemy sorcerer either way, but I'd rather he go to someone I know and-"

"Would you stop calling me an enemy sorcerer?" Ada spat, but her voice lacked venom.

The Jedi finally moved away from the centre of the cockpit and took a seat beside him in the passenger side, nervously glancing at him. She could sense in the Force that none of the tension had been released, but for some reason she didn't think that it related much to the kid they had left behind. Although, some of it was definitely grief from losing him.

Ada's blue eyes shifted and settled on the dark visor of his helmet for a long while, as she considered her next words very carefully. And then, as quiet as as a whisper of the wind:

_"Ask me anything."_

"What?" Mando's low voice crackled beneath the helmet modulator, but the cold tone from earlier had been forgotten in the moment. He stared down at her through his visor, noting her peaceful features. She didn't seem entirely uncomfortable, which was peculiar. Of course he wanted to know things -- but it had been a rule from the start.

"I _said_ ask me anything. What do you want to know?"

Mando frowned, unsure of her. He could see quite clearly that she had been excessively crying - hell, he had heard the sniffling. He had fought with himself for minutes on end in the belly of the ship, his fists clenched, as he deliberated over marching into the room and holding her. And he didn't want to take advantage of her vulnerability by drawing information out, that she didn't really want to give.

When the Mandalorian said nothing, Ada spoke again softly.

"My mother was a Dathomirian Nightsister." The words had seemingly been holding some kind of weight against her, because almost the second the spoke them the world became exceedingly lighter. They do always say that the weight of the world is less when someone is there to help carry it.

"Ada, you don't-"

"My father fell in love with her when he was still serving under the Old Republic, a few years after the fall of Satine Kryze on Mandalore. After Order 66, he returned for her."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want you to know," she whispered. Mando could have sworn that he saw tears on her dark eyelashes, but she turned her head too quickly for him to notice.

"I don't need to know," he reassured her.

"I trust you with my life," Ada told him quietly. "It doesn't make sense if I don't trust you with my past, too."

Mando didn't say anything else to her words, and so she continued with her very vague - yet clear - story. Ada didn't look at him as she spoke; instead, she stared into the distant galaxy ahead of them, attempting to keep her voice steady. She hadn't told anyone the story of her past; for her, this was one of the most intimate moments of her existence. It was a trust she hadn't offered anyone before.

"My mother was killed by Vader several years after my birth, for betraying the Dark Side of the Force. And then, when I was eighteen, my father left Tatooine with Luke Skywalker and never returned."

"He died?"

"Darth Vader. I wasn't there, nobody ever told me. But The Force is a powerful thing," Ada closed her eyes, trying everything not to recall the moment in too much vividness. "I felt his death encompass me, I knew that it was the Dark Side. I knew it was him again. He took both of my parents."

"Where is he?"

Ada opened her blue eyes, which found the dark visor of Mando's helmet very quickly. Her features were vulnerably, and almost adoring as she sensed the protective tone in his voice. She could sense the anger in his signature, and she didn't have to connect their minds to understand exactly what he was thinking. She attempted to repress the way her heart swelled, but it was almost impossible.

"He's dead, beskar head," she told him softly, a small smile playing on her lips. "And if he isn't, he long since retired. I haven't felt him in almost five years."

"Oh."

"Once I lost my parents, I lost faith in the Jedi Order and everything it stood for. I lost myself, and I turned Grey for a long time. Some of the Jedi teachings were-- _flawed_."

"Can you tell me something a little different?" he asked now, and she could feel that his cold heart was beginning to soften as the discussion progressed; he was forgetting his previous anger toward her.

"Like what?"

"Weeks ago, you told me that it was nearly impossible for you to read my mind -- I don't understand."

Ada's petal lips turned further upwards, as she remembered how frustrating she used to be when they were still only strangers to one another. His mind haunted her; she could sense his emotions and feelings at all times, and yet his thoughts were always absolutely impenetrable. It had been irritating at first - but now she enjoyed the quiet.

"Do you know what the Force is?"

"Your _powers?"_

Ada giggled at his naivety, shaking her head. He titled his beskar helmet to the side, and she could almost see his bemused expression.

"The Force isn't a _power_ , it isn't something that we just have. It's _everything._ It's the air that you breathe, the fragments that make up your soul. It's an energy field."

"I didn't realise you were a part-time philosopher," he commented drily, and Ada narrowed her blue eyes.

"Are you interested or not?"

"Oh I _am_ , go on." His tone was mocking now, and she found herself biting her tongue against her own witty remarks.

"Jedi are more sensitive to the Force than other beings are. We use it to enhance our forms; we can predict things, sense emotion and thought, move things. The Force guides us."

"And so this is relevant _how_?"

Ada moved forward, and very lightly tapped the thick beskar planted on top of his head. "You remember the Jedi-Mandalorian wars?"

"Yes."

"I think that beskar is somehow an exception to the Force. I think that's why your planet was the only one capable of challenging us. The beskar didn't just stop our lightsabers, it stopped us from getting into your heads."

Ada could practically feel the smugness radiating from the Mandalorian as he processed the information. Though, there was something else there too -- a swelling warmth inside of his heart, as Ada told him absolutely everything that he wanted to know. There had never been this kind of trust between them before, and he found a certain comfort in knowing he was the _only_ person she would tell.

"You shouldn't be telling me all of this," he finally said, dismissing the feelings. "Our kinds are **enemies**. I could use this against you,"

"Thankfully it's just a _theory_ ," she quipped back with a smirk. "I've _also_ considered that there simply aren't any thoughts in there to read. Is your head _empty_ , Mando? Or made of beskar?"

The gentle attack amused the Mandalorian so much, that for the first time in a long time he let out a soft chuckle. Ada's blue eyes shifted across the front of his helmet with a brightness in her eyes, her rose lips turning up at the distorted sound. For a moment, she longed to hear his laugh without the helmet - in its purest form, without a modulator ruining the sound.

"Where are we going now, Captain?"

Mando took something out of his pocket and threw it onto the controls in front of her; it looked almost like a medal, or a weird coin. She took it between her fingers, and then quickly recognised the symbol. Her mind shifted to Moff Gideon, whom was tied up in the belly of the ship out of their sight.

"The New Republic? Where?"

"Cara said we can find them on Endor, it's a moon."

"What _kind_ of moon?"

"A forest moon."

Ada smiled.


	18. CHAPTER 18: blaster! in the cockpit

### CHAPTER 18: blaster! in the cockpit

_"Did you love him?"_

The words filled the cockpit of the ship, and Ada Kenobi's eyes lifted to the beskar helmet of her companion. He was sat with his legs up against the dash, testament to his newfound comfort despite the enemy that sat in the room next to him. His armoured limbs were crossed over each other, hands clasped together. Perhaps he was overcompensating for the tension he had felt for several minutes, as he led up to asking her the question.

Ada's blue eyes narrowed as they searched the helmet, knowing almost entirely who he was talking about without having to ask. "Luke?"

"Yes."

She looked away, and swallowed the lump in her throat. It felt wrong to talk about _this_ with the Mandalorian, but she couldn't find it in her to understand why. She just knew that something in her chest tightened, and she found herself wanting to forget those years now. All because of the man she sat beside.

"At the time, I thought I did," she finally answered, her words delicate and carefully constructed as she spoke. "I was only fifteen when we met, and eighteen when he left. I was too young."

"Too young to love?"

"Too young to _know_ ," she corrected. "I didn't know what love _was_ back then."

"Do you now?"

This time, the question silenced Ada. She found that her heart beat quickened, but she stubbornly dismissed the fleeting emotion and instead she rose out of her chair. She had been sat with him for a long time, making varied conversation with Mando - from witty bickering to genuine conversation about the New Republic. But she was done with this conversation.

"I'm going to get some sleep."

"I'll come wake you before hyperspace."

Ada nodded and left the cockpit, her figure moving daintily and silently into the belly of her ship. There was always a certain cat-like agility to the way she moved, that was unnerving to see by strangers. They were always so sure that she was the most deadly person they'd encountered - and yet, inside, she was the most compassionate.

Her blue eyes shifted to the Imperial leader that was laid on the floor just outside her door. His hands were still bound together in front of him, and he seemed to have abandoned all hopes of escape. Moff Gideon scowled up at her as she approached, his gaze filled with hatred. Though, there was something about him that was the _most_ dangerous for someone like her.

Moff Gideon had worked alongside Darth Vader for many years; and in tandem, he had learned how to protect his thoughts and intentions from Force users. _Until it was too late._

As Ada reached for the keypad into her quarters, she caught movement out of the corner of her blue eyes. Her gaze shifted, and landed on the blaster Gideon had retrieved from beneath the black cloak he wore. She didn't know how she hadn't sensed it before, or how she hadn't at least caught a glimpse of his thoughts.

Her hand moved to the hilt of her lightsaber, but _not_ quite quickly enough. Gideon pulled the trigger of the blaster, and the shot plunged into the Jedi's stomach.

Ada sobbed in agony as she collapsed to the ground, holding her stomach as if her fingers would stop the blood. Her slender fingers brushed against the fabric of her jumper, and felt the crimson warmth of blood slowly oozing out of the wound. From the pain to the shock of the incident, she found herself too weak to sense anything else -- everything was rendering her utterly useless.

She shuffled across the ground into the direction of the cockpit, hoping to retreat back toward the one person she trusted more than anyone, to protect her. Ada found herself -- in the midst of a severe blaster wound -- desperately moving into the direction of Din. His presence offered comfort, and safety. For some reason she found that he was the _only_ person she wanted. 

Her blue eyes moved slightly when she felt heavy footsteps march past her, and Ada followed the armoured man with her eyes. He crossed the room and kicked the blaster out of Gideon's hands before he could react to his being there, and the Imperial officer's dark eyes hardened.

 _"Fascist f-"_ Ada's eyes drooped, and her hearing faltered slightly as Mando grabbed the Imp by the collar and hauled him to his feet. There was something feral and aggressive about his movements that she hadn't seen before, and she wondered why he was so furious about Gideon's actions. She wanted to tell herself that she knew; that it was for her. But she refused to.

Her blue eyes lolled into the back of her head for a moment, but she caught herself, and pushed her fingers into her wound ever so slightly to bring herself back. In her life, she had suffered from occasional blaster wounds before - and she knew that the worst thing to do was pass out. There was always a chance that you wouldn't wake up after.

Ada heard a door being slammed, and a loud hiss of what sounded like the carbonite chamber she was growing used to hearing. And then, hands moving to her.

She was pulled into a sitting position, and strong hands rested her back as gently as possible against the the wall. The Jedi's blue eyes opened, and she stared into the dark visor of the beskar helmet that brought her so much comfort. Her features immediately softened when she saw him, and somehow the pain even subsided a little. Her body slackened against the wall, knowing that she was safe now.

"My _protector,"_ she whispered weakly, as Mando slightly tugged the fabric of her shirt to examine the wound. She could tell that it was bad, but he didn't say anything. Her words echoed in his mind, the adoring tone haunting him.

"I'm going to have to cauterise," he told her quietly, almost in a whisper. It came out modified by the helmet, more so than usual. Perhaps changed by emotion. Ada was weakened by the wound, but strong enough to sense the pain in his tone and thoughts. He didn't want to put her through that - he didn't want to be the one to put her through that.

"Then _do_ it."

Ada closed her eyes to prepare for the pain, but was surprised when his fingers found her chin and moved it upwards instead. He placed her small hand around one of his, and her lips parted. There was something intimate about the situation that even she couldn't ignore; the proximity was just too much, and her vulnerability amplified everything.

"I want you to _squeeze_ my hand," he instructed. "And _look_ at me. Do not take your eyes off my helmet."

"Does it really hurt that bad?" she whispered.

The Mandalorian said nothing, but Ada was distracted from waiting for the answer when a piping hot pain engulfed her. Her mouth opened and she whimpered in agony, her small hand tightening around his. He pressed the cauteriser against the edge of her wound as gently as he could, but the pressure didn't matter. The Jedi had been through everything, but this kind of pain was very new for her.

Ada fought against her every instinct to kick against his arm and take the pain away, or tip her head back to cope. Instead, she played his words over and over in her mind. Do not take your eyes off my helmet. And _Maker_ , she didn't want to. The closeness between them was almost enough for her to take her away from the wound.

Her thoughts wandered as she scanned the beskar helmet, feeling everything he was. She recognised the grief as he slowly moved across the wound, sealing every inch. She recognised how much he hated to hurt her, even if it was necessary to save her from bleeding out. And she even recognised the feeling in his chest as he glanced back at her in worry, every few minutes, just to check that she was okay.

Her eyes began to water, as the pain became nothing to her and was instead replaced by the encompassing feeling of having his fingers delicately hold her skin. Her breath escaped her lungs as the closeness became too much, and the Jedi's lips parted when his head moved to the side to inspect his work. The cauteriser quietened, and she realised that it was over.

And it was in that very moment, as the back of his hand brushed against her cheek affectionally, that Ada realised she had fallen in love with him.

The galaxy seemed to still as the thought crossed her mind, halting everything else.

Mando noticed the way her body stiffened, and he watched her from behind his dark visor. A frown appeared on his features, and he resisted the urge to brush his hand against her cheek again.

"Ada?"

"Yes, Din?" she asked, though her voice was small and out of character.

Din found the corners of his mouth twisting upwards as he heard his name on her lips once more. He wasn't sure when it had become such a common thing, but he enjoyed absolutely the single syllable coming from her, every time. Every time, it was like the first time. So delicate, and beautiful on her tongue.

For Ada, the answer was quite simple. Somewhere along the line, he had become more than just a Mandalorian to her. He had become her Mandalorian; he had earned his name, his individuality. Because now she _loved_ him.

"It's over. Are you okay?"

She wondered what he would do if she just told him right there, right then. Would he explain to her just how stupid it was to love someone like him? Would he walk out, and never return? Ada knew that she was never going to tell him - it was simply a vow that she would have to make to herself. Things would become too complicated, and she liked how things were.

"What did you do the Gideon?"

"I carbonised the bastard," Mando quipped back. " _Nobody_ shoots my Jedi."

" _Your_ Jedi?" Ada smiled.

And then, the Mandalorian did something entirely unpredictable, even by Ada's standards. He closed one hand firmly around her throat and moved her face closer to his helmet, though she sensed that there was no danger. Instead, it was more of a possessive, raw gesture that left her lips parted and body warm.

"Haven't I made that perfectly clear?" he asked lowly, his voice crackling under the modulator.

Ada's blue eyes flitted over the beskar helmet, and she wore a small smile despite the intense desire to simply scream. Not in pain, or fear - just for the catharsis of whatever tension was building between them.

She chose to move past the moment, and spoke with a lighter tone. Though, her voice was still thick with lasting emotion.

"Do you remember when we first met, and I said -- no questions, and no last names?"

"I believe it was the other way around,"

_"Din-"_

"Yes, I remember."

"You know _my_ name. You know I'm a Kenobi."

"Which in retrospect, actually means _nothing_ to me. I don't know who your father was."

"Would I know _your_ name?"

"I doubt it."

"Then tell me what it is."

The two paused, as Mando simply stared back at her through the visor. He had been waiting for this question since they had left the Imperial cruiser, and in fact he was surprised it had taken this long. He had been ready to deny her the information, because nobody knew his full name unless they were present during the Nevarro battle last year. But after yesterday, after knowing so much about her, perhaps she could be his only exception.

Mando sighed. "You're not going to use it in other peoples' presence?"

"Never."

"And you won't use it against me?"

"Of course not."

Mando brushed a piece of her hair out of her face, and sighed again - this time much lighter. "Din Djarin."


	19. CHAPTER 19: the endor moon

### CHAPTER 19: _the_ endor moon

The Jedi had been impossibly quiet for the rest of the journey to the forest moon, where they hoped to discover leaders of the New republic. Her heart had slowed, but would sometimes begin to hammer against her ribcage when she became lost in her thoughts again. Her mind never left the epiphany from hours ago; it _haunted_ her.

Beneath her fresh black robes, a bandage was wrapped tightly around the blaster wound in her stomach. Her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail at the back of her head, with her bangs still left to frame her face.

And if the Mandalorian said that he hadn't noticed the change in her mood since she had been shot, he would be lying. His brown eyes scanned Ada again; he wasn't sensitive to the Force, but he sensed the stiffness in her figure and the way her blue eyes watered from time to time. But it was not until they had finally left hyperspace, and were lowering into Endor's atmosphere, that he acknowledged the change.

"You're too quiet, what's wrong?" he asked quietly, glancing at her.

Ada's blue eyes lifted to the visor of his helmet -- an empty abyss that she wished to one day see past. " _Nothing_ is wrong. I'm just in pain,"

"The blaster shot?"

Ada's eyelashes flickered as she blinked, and she looked away. Instead, her vision was engulfed by the very striking beauty of the moon they were slowly lowering into. A field of green was cast over the entire planet, with trees and forestation stretching a mile into the sky. Vines and shrubbery littered the terrain where the trees were sparse, and there was more water than she had ever seen.

Raised near a moisture farm on the sand planet of Tatooine, there was always something so beautiful and eerie about large bodies of water. And for a very shot minute as she settled on the landscape, the worries of romance drifted away from her.

"Maker," she breathed. "This is Endor?"

"You like it?"

"It's breathtaking!" Suddenly, her entire character seemed to pull back from the withdrawn and quiet version of herself. And so returned, briefly, the normal Ada that Mando had grown familiar with. "What were we doing on _Nevarro_ when we could have been here?"

When they finally reached the ground, the Mandalorian moved his body forward and the engines quickly faded out when he flicked a switch. And then, he broke the silence.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Her blue eyes narrowed. "Talk about what?"

"You know."

Ada's mind ventured back to what had been plaguing her thoughts over the past two days, and she found that her stubborn personality refused to indulge in how they made her feel. How he made her feel.

"No, I don't. Do _you?"_

"Yes."

"Then _talk."_

Mando stared at her through his beskar helmet, noting the way her features had hardened - but there was still a bright, liveliness in her eyes that was always there. She was just so much more alive than anyone else he had known before, filled with the breath of the galaxy. Even in times where her thoughts took her to places she didn't want to be.

He wanted to talk to her about why she had chosen _him_ , over returning to her own kind with the Jedi she called Luke. He wanted to understand the decision, though he feared that he already did. And most of all, he wanted to know why she had been so _off_ ever since he had cauterised her blaster wound. Of course he had a feeling of why -- but he didn't want to address it too heavily. He didn't want to _think_ about what would happen when they both realised that they were running head first toward a dead end.

Ada's eyes shifted over his beskar helmet as he thought about what to say. She could sense his conflict, and the way he fought with himself. He didn't want to care so much - he was tired of caring. He wanted to return back to his old self, wordless and mute. But something about her changed him.

_"Why did you stay?"_

"What do you mean?" she returned, though her voice was quieter than usual. It gave her away; she understood the question. But the worst part, was that she hadn't quite figured it out for herself yet.

"You know what I mean, Jedi. You always do."

Her lips parted, and she moved her blue eyes away from him. They sat in the cockpit in complete silence for a while.

 _ **"You,"**_ she whispered, her tone hard and defeated.

Of course; everything the Mandalorian had feared. The Jedi was forming a dangerous attachment to him, and it was something he had known all along that he should try to prevent. But from the small touches that he simply couldn't control anymore, to the words they shared which held deeper meaning -- it had always been inevitable. The tension, the possessiveness, the _heat_. Everything they had shared was leading to a perfect disaster.

The Mandalorian didn't say anything more, for he had his answer. He didn't intend to address the matter again, and neither did she. Her simple word had been enough to tell him everything he needed to know - but something told Ada that he wanted to know more. Though, he would never admit it.

Ada's blue eyes watched as he lifted himself out of the chair and wordlessly left the cockpit, and a wave of regret passed by. She followed after him, silently wishing she hadn't said anything -- she should have just refused to answer him.

The landscape from this height was much prettier, and left the Jedi in awe as she walked through the forest in the direction of where they had seen a city. The two were dwarfed by the vast trees and vines, and the air felt so much fresher than any other planet. She could occasionally hear the sound of running water, which was so bizarre to her but left a smile on her features.

Once the trees began to open, Ada's features changed; they hardened, ever so slightly. As though strangers were not allowed to see such serenity in her expression. She was a Jedi, and must be respected if not feared at all times. She sensed the numerous beings that wandered around, and knew that they were close.

And then, her heart stopped when she sensed a Force-sensitive nearby. It was a very familiar sensation she had learned to note years ago -- a tingle in her spine, barely noticeable.

The two silently landed upon a small town which bustled with activity; and perhaps the most delightful part, was that ewoks littered the pathway. The creatures were very small and adorable creatures, but they were not a species to be trifled with.

The Jedi moved towards one of the ewoks, when Mando grasped her wrist and pulled her back gently.

"What are you doing?"

"What we're _here_ to do," Ada replied impatiently, taking herself out of his grip. She then turned back to the ewoks, and smiled warmly at them.

"We're looking for a General of the New Republic," Ada said kindly.

The ewoks began to whisper amongst themselves, before they were interrupted by a woman approaching from one of the buildings. She absolutely radiated the light side - her hair was tied into a strange, circular plait which crowned atop her head. And she wore a white jacket with white trousers, and silver boots.

"You're a long way from Tatooine," she spoke, and Ada silently wondered how she knew where she had come from.

The Jedi stared at the stranger for a long while, and her companion stood close behind, on edge. Ada was coming to realise that this was the Force-sensitive she had sensed earlier -- but her signature was gentle, and soft. She reminded her of Luke in many ways.

"The Force is strong with you," Ada told her. Her tone was powerful, and carried plenty of meaning. The woman hadn't realised that over the years, despite abandoning the Jedi Order, she had become so much like her father in wisdom.

"And with you," the woman replied, smiling. "I'm General Organa, may I help you?"

The name resonated with Ada, and her lips parted. "You're Princess Leia of Alderaan?"

"I'm not a Princess anymore. You're Ada, aren't you?"

_Leia Organa._

The Jedi had been told the story many years ago, by her father. She had been forbidden to tell Luke Skywalker anything of his past, and especially not that he had a twin sister elsewhere in the galaxy. She had been adopted by the Royals on Alderaan, and loved as though she were a biological Princess. The information had haunted Ada for a long time; but when Luke disappeared, it became much easier to hide it from him.

"Is Luke here?"

"I'm sorry," Leia replied softly, glancing at the Mandalorian. "To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting a Jedi and a Mandalorian?"

Mando moved forward, and very clearly too control of the conversation. "We have Moff Gideon in carbonite."

Leia Organa's features hardened upon hearing the name. "Alive?"

"Unfortunately," Mando's beskar helmet turned, and the women could tell that he was glancing at Ada. "I trust you can offer a reward for this?"

"Of course," Leia replied, leading the couple into the village. They were visibly headed toward the largest building, stood in the very centre of the forest. It stretched upwards into the trees, and was made of a beautiful kind of stone that reminded Ada of Tython.

Her blue eyes drifted over to Mando for a second, but she looked away when she noticed that he was staring right back at her as they walked.

They entered into the building, and were immediately greeted by a male figure who absolutely exuded confidence. His hair was scruffy-looking and dark brown, and his features tan. When he laid eyes on Leia, he walked over to her.

" _Princess_ , I've been looking for you," he said loudly. "Ben's gone aw-"

"Not now, Han," Leia replied in exasperation, gesturing toward the two people stood by her.

Ada pursed her lips in amusement as she met eyes with the man; something about the Force told her that she would enjoy his company. Ada smiled at him, and she very briefly connected her mind with his out of curiosity. It was effortless with this man, unlike with the beskar warrior she stood with.

And then, Ada spoke, "It's always a pleasure to meet a _smuggler_."

Han's brown eyes narrowed as he stared back at the Jedi. "How did you-" he then glanced at Leia, the woman he loved, for an explanation. He paused for a moment, and his process of thought was very clear. "You a Jedi, kid?"

"Something like that," she responded.

Nothing else was said, before Leia continued to lead them through the old building and into what looked like a boarding room. Ada's blue eyes scanned the cream walls decorated with flowers, and potted plants all over the furniture. There was a dark oak table in the centre of the room, along with six chairs. Then, General Organa left again.

Ada's eyes met the Mandalorian's through the visor, and she found it in here to smirk.

"Do you think she's bringing the cavalry to kill us, and take Gideon without payment?"

"We can take them."

"It's an army of ewoks and rebels, vs. two of us,"

"I _like_ those odds."

Ada smiled at the confidence in his modulated voice; though she hadn't admitted it before now, she had always found the way he spoke attractive. Never any doubt.

Before they could speak again, the General returned back to the room with three large bags in her hands. The brown bags clinked as she walked, and then she placed them onto the table in front of them with a smile on her face. Ada didn't move, but saw Mando approach the table out of the corner of her eye.

"200,000 credits." Leia said softly. Mando looked up at her in surprise of the sound, and Ada could sense the joy in his signature - though he didn't show it.

"That's very generous," Mando said.

"Of course, you have brought to us the last of the Empire. You deserve this."


	20. CHAPTER 20: catharsis

### CHAPTER 20: catharsis

The following day, Ada Kenobi found herself sat cross-legged on the edge of the forest far from the village, staring at the lake of water that stretched a mile into the distance. The sweltering sun warmed the water, and the steam was visible in the air above. The Jedi closed her eyes in serenity, her lungs filling with the fresh air.

Heavy boots broke the woman away from her tranquil state, and she lifted her blue eyes to find the culprit. Mando was trudging toward her quietly, though she could sense that he had also found an inner peace in the beautiful moon of Endor. At least, for a little while.

"Can I ask you something?" Ada asked gently, as she laid herself down into the grass. The plains pricked at her scalp as she placed her head down near his feet, and she looked up at him with a warm smile.

"It depends." His voice attempted to sound bemused, but even she could hear the smile in his voice behind the thick beskar.

"On _what_?"

"The question."

Ada scoffed, and rolled onto her side to inspect the man. He was towering over her now, but there was not even the smallest of danger in her senses. The Mandalorian was absolutely harmless to her, and she considered that a small playing card. She had such a powerful, strong warrior on her side.

"I was thinking of staying her for another day. Would that be okay?"

"We just earned 200,000 credits, Ada. I'm not in any rush to collect a bounty."

The woman's features brightened at his response, and she sat up. Behind the helmet, the Mandalorian wondered whether the warm sun had somehow gotten into her head. It was still early morning, but it seemed that she had woken up in an entirely different mood compared to yesterday. If he knew that she would be so happy on a planet such as this, he would have taken her to Kashyyyk _weeks_ ago.

"Is that a yes?"

When the Mandalorian didn't answer her, Ada let out a small giggle. And then before he could register anything, the Jedi had turned around and thrown herself into the lake behind them.

A loud splash filled the otherwise tranquil silence of the surrounding area, and Mando groaned from behind the beskar. He walked forward and waited for her to break the surface of the water, infuriated with his own inability to predict her behaviour still. Of course, she had always been spontaneous - but he had hoped that after time, he would at least learn some patterns in her behaviour. But now, even her moods were unpredictable. He wondered if that was his fault.

The sound of a splash caught his attention, and his brown eyes landed on the woman bobbing in the centre of the lake happily. Her dark hair clung to the back of her neck and back, and she brushed back parts of her fringe which were sticking to her face.

"Coming for a _swim_ , beskar head?" Ada called out to him, swimming a little closer to him.

Mando sighed, and turned his helmet as he looked around. There was nobody out here for miles, and certainly not any danger on such a peaceful planet run by the New Republic. And then, the mighty warrior began to take the beskar armour away from his body reluctantly.

The shin guards clanged to the ground first, followed by his chest plate and shoulder plates. All the while, the Jedi watched him from afar, and found that her heart was uncontrollably racing. She hadn't seen him without his armour before; he had never trusted her to be so vulnerable.

Beneath the armour, he wore black trousers and a black long-sleeve t shirt. But before she had the pleasure of casting her eyes over his body for too long, he stepped forward into the water and his body lowered into the lake toward her. The only familiarity about his appearance now was the helmet he wore on his head.

When he finally reached her, he was still standing; the warm water came to his shoulders, but it seemed like Ada was treading water -- he hadn't noticed the height difference too much, until now. He smirked down at her, enjoying the way the droplets of water kissed her honey skin.

"You look beautiful wet," he murmured, catching her off guard.

"You _like_ this?" she asked, moving closer to him.

Though a small smile played on her lips, and she convinced herself that she was only messing around, her heart quickened at the proximity. It was different; without the armour, she was now realising that he really was human. Though she couldn't see his body through the water, he somehow seemed lighter next to her.

Mando moved in and hooked his fingers beneath her chin, and her lips parted as she realised that he wasn't wearing any gloves. His skin burned against hers, and he simply stared at her.

"I like you always," he replied after a while, feeling something that he knew was wrong. He tried to disengage from the darkness of his mind, but he found it difficult. He just knew that underneath the water, her dark clothes were clinging to her figure. He thought of the torture he would surely undergo when she got back out, and he had to see the curves in so much detail.

Ada swam forward, and without realising - with such a seemingly _innocent_ gesture - she broke him. Her hands moved against his chest and rested on his shoulders for support, and she swore she heard his breath hitch beneath the helmet.

She ignored it, because there was nothing quite as important to her as the feeling of his chest so close to her. No beskar plate blocking her from the feeling of his body. Her hand moved against him more confidently then, when she sensed his feelings along with her own. She sensed the way he fought against the pleasure of the touch; he hadn't been touched like this in _years_. He was simply touch starved.

Mando reached forward under the water and found her hips, his large hands pressing against them roughly. Her shirt had ridden up considerably under the current of the lake, and his fingers brushed lightly against the bare skin of her stomach.

Ada's mouth opened, and she stared up at his helmet in surprise. His thumbs were so close to the waistband of her trousers; impossible close. _Frustratingly_ close, even. She then noticed a very feral heat developing at the centre of her being, and she easily distinguished the sensation. Though, he had never felt it quite so powerful before - and never with another person.

And what made it worse, was how connected her mind truly was to Mando's. Because not only did she have to struggle with her own sexual desire, but also with his. And Maker, it was intense.

"Din," she whispered, feeling his hands move down and to her ass. The water moved with him, splashing slightly as he pulled her closer to his body -- and never had she wanted to _kiss_ him so badly. She wanted everything. He groaned as he brushed his fingers against her, and squeezed, feeling how her trousers clung to her. And the material was so thin.

"We shouldn't be doing this," Ada said, but her voice was throaty with desire. She looked up at him through her lashes, lips parted.

And then, one of his hands moved to hers which was still rested against his chest. And began to edge it farther down slowly, guiding her hand along his sternum, over his stomach - and then -

"But do you _want_ to?" he asked, stopped her hand for a moment. His voice was just as thick and low as hers, like leather against her ear. There was scarcely an inch between their wet bodies.

"Yes," she said hoarsely.

The answer was more than enough for him. He guided her hand over to the bulge in his trousers, and he let out a groan from the relief of being touched in the perfect spot. Ada's features softened at the low sound, frustrated that the noise had been modulated by the helmet. she longed to hear his real moan, untouched by any helmet.

Ada moved her hand beneath the water and took him out, never having touched a man like this before -- but something just felt _right_ with Din. In fact, she felt almost confident in the action. She smoothed her fingers against him slowly at first, feeling the full length with dark eyes. She stared up at his mask as she played with him, enjoying the way his head tipped back.

Her blue eyes noticed his exposed throat beneath the mask, and she pursed her lips as she sped up - pumping him faster beneath the surface of the warm lake. She moved forward and planted a wet kiss against his exposed skin, and she sensed the way his desperation intensified. She felt her own warmth and desperation beneath the water, but right now she didn't care about that.

Ada used the Force to sense when he was close -- _so_ close. Close enough that when her speed was not quite enough, Mando lightly thrust into her hand. A low moan emanated from the helmet, and then all at once, she removed her hand.

His frustration encompassed her for a moment, and she bit her lip as she looked up at him with a smile. "Oh," she said quietly, lowering into a whisper. "Did you _want_ to cum?"

Mando let out a growl, and Ada moved in again with a smile. She closed her fingers back around his length, and continued back at the correct. "You weren't very clear is all," she said, her gaze intense as she stared into his mask.

And then, as though it were her own orgasm, Ada connected herself to his feelings and felt the flood of endorphins as he finally reached climax. Mando groaned out and his fingers dug into the bare skin of her hips; he tipped his head back and thrust into her hand, riding himself through the intense pleasure that he hadn't felt in a very long time.

The journey back to their ship was a blur. The two had never felt such an intense desire to fulfil; they didn't speak, didn't think. They only glanced at each other, dripping wet; Ada's hair wet, nipples hard and utterly visible through the soaking wet fabric of her shirt. Her shirt still ridden up, and stomach bare. Mando could already feel himself growing hard again as he scanned her appearance, and thought of what she had done in the water.

Once they reached the ship, Mando grasped hold of her wrist and dragged her into her own room, slamming the door behind them. She stared up at him with wide eyes, petal lips desperate to be kissed - but she knew it could never happen. The helmet would stay on; she _knew_.

He placed his hands on her shoulders for a second, taking in her breath-taking appearance. And then, he lightly pushed her and watched as she fell onto the bed behind her. And he quickly followed. She had taken the lead in the warm lake, and now he was going to show her how he was in the bedroom.

Mando moved his hands gently along the skin of her neck as he watched her reaction, his hand lowering far too slowly for her own liking. She pursed her lips, but fought against the urge to whimper that she needed him much sooner. His fingers lightly passed by her breasts, pinching her hard nipples before continuing along her sternum. Ada instead watched the visor of his mask, trembling with nerves as he moved his hand over her body. He barely touched her, and yet every touch felt suffocating to her.

His free hand caught hers and pinned them both above her head, and his brown eyes found hers behind the visor to check her reaction. She stared back up at him through her dark eyelashes, her lips parted in surprise. He let out a breath as his brown eyes moved along her,

"You are _so_ beautiful," he murmured lowly, the sentence crackling.

Mando's hand found her thigh delicately, his fingers tracing each part of her skin. The material of her trousers clung enough to her that it felt like she was wearing nothing. He moved his hands slightly upwards, and then moved back, over and over again. Ada began to feel frustrated, and she let out a small whine. Her wrists attempted to move in response to the frustration, but the Mandalorian's hand pushed back down against them. He was much stronger than she, and she didn't bother to fight back.

Mando chuckled, watching her struggle beneath him. Then finally,

"Do you want me to touch you?" he asked, just above a whisper.

Ada's mouth fell open as she melted under the words, her blue eyes wide with anticipation. She had never expected to be so submissive, and she had never expected him to be so forward. But it somehow felt perfectly natural.

" _Din_ ," she whispered, and his fingers finally moved beneath her short dress and pressed against her pants. She tipped her head back in bliss, and repressed a moan as his fingers danced against her gently. It wasn't long before he tugged on the waistband of her trousers, and pulled them down to her thights.

He wrapped his hand around her throat, and his other hand moved back to her sweet spot. She moaned when her fingers dipped over her soaking clit, and moved in a circular fashion which left her mewling in pleasure. She tipped her head back and her gaze met his, wondering why they hadn't been doing this all along.

"Has anyone ever fucked you?" Mando's low voice filled the room, her fingers still moving against her.

Ada found herself biting her lip as she came to realise where this was going. "No," she told him.

"Do you want _me_ to?"

"Yes," Ada closed her eyes, his words sending her closer and closer. She was burning now, her lower stomach tensed with pleasure.

"Now?"

"Din," Ada breathed as her head tipped back again, her walls twisting and tightening as she reached her own climax. Features softening, she moaned again, feeling how much her orgasm had turned him on.

Mando barely allowed her the time to catch her breath, before he was taking his own trousers down and moving between her legs desperately. There was so much desire to be inside of her, she could feel how much he had wanted her -- for so long. Her heart melted, as he stared down at her through his helmet. He deliberated on warning her, before he instead decided to remain silent.

Placing a hand on her stomach gently to steady her, Mando pressed into her entrance as carefully as he could - he watched her blue eyes for any sign of discomfort, but instead found only adoration. He groaned in pleasure as he completely filled her, infuriated that they hadn't been doing this the whole time. She felt so good.

" _You feel-"_ he murmured, moving out of her and losing the words. She moaned again, instantly enjoying the feeling as he thrusted into her. Mando pressed his helmet against her forehead and moaned roughly, his voice low. He picked up the speed and pulled away, his eyes opening to gauge Ada's reaction as he moved his hips against her.

Ada's mouth fell open in pure bliss, her blue eyes scanning his face. She had never known such strong feelings like this before: lust, affection, pleasure. It was all so knew to her, and yet she wanted it to last forever. She could feel everything-- her own desire, as well as his. So much for one person.

"Ada," he moaned as he thrust a little deeper into her, appreciating her warmth.

He pulled out quickly and grabbed her wrists, pulling her onto her knees and turning her around. He stopped for a moment to scan her body, and bit his lip behind the helmet. He then used his hand to guide himself back inside of her from behind, placing his hands on her stomach.

The new position made it deeper, and Ada moaned much louder. He placed a hand over one of her breasts and used his fingers to toy with her nipple as he rocked back and forth inside of her. He let out another moan, and felt himself growing closer.

He slowly traced his other hand around her stomach and lowered it, using his fingers to dip into her core and press against her clit in circular motions. She moaned out in delight, and he slowed his thrusts so as to ensure she would get there again - before him.

"Is that good?" he whispered into her ear, continuing his fingers at the same pace.

Ada's mouth remained open as she concentrated on the pleasure of having him inside of her, while his fingers worked wonders on the outside. She felt her stomach tighten gradually, and her core became warmer for a second before she was overcome with intensity. Her core pulsed and she screamed out, gently rocking her hips against the climax.

The Mandalorian felt her walls tighten as she came, and he tipped his head back as he moved inside of her faster, allowing himself to finally climax along with her.

And then, the world became quiet again.


	21. CHAPTER 21: heartbreak

### CHAPTER 21: heartbreak

The following day, Ada Kenobi dressed for the day and tried harder than she ever had to ignore her own thoughts. As she moved around her room, the soreness made it the most difficult to forget the night before. Visions encompassed her as she glanced at her bed -- _soft skin on skin, heavy breathing, pulsating warmth._

Her blue eyes found herself in the small mirror, and she noted that she looked almost normal, with the exception of flushed cheeks and something else she couldn't quite put into words. She wore dark brown robes and boots, and today her dark hair fell loosely down her back, in smooth waves.

Ada left her room cautiously, sensing the room before the committed too deeply to entering the cockpit. She could feel Mando's presence sat in the piloting seat, and she could also feel that he was just as nervous as she was.

"Morning, beskar head," she greeted, overcompensating for her desire to act normal.

"Jedi, you're awake," he commented back, his voice low and quiet behind the helmet. "I was waiting for you before we left."

"How _novel_ of you," she scoffed, settling into the seat beside him. Her blue eyes lifted to the visor of his helmet, frowning as she looked at him.

"Shut your pretty mouth," was his response, as he leaned forward and began to adjust the controls, ready for exiting the atmosphere. She smirked, and her gaze shifted back onto the beautiful planet that she was sorry to be leaving. Endor had been the only place she had felt truly at home on, even though she had never been before.

A smile played on her lips as they rose into the sky, and the forests which grazed the surface of the landscape became smaller and smaller. And finally, she looked back up and she noticed that the Mandalorian behind her seemed to have stiffened a little.

It was quite clear that the two were equally overcompensating with banter, in order to escape from what had happened the night previously. Neither of them could keep their mind far from the events; eventually, they always turned back to the feeling of the other's warm skin on theirs. They were trying just too hard to repress their feelings.

And a sense of dread hung over both of them: Ada didn't know why yet, but Mando did.

There was a vey lengthy silence as they left the atmosphere of Endor, and neither of them spoke. It had seemed that the brief adrenaline of seeing each other again had worn off, and reality was settling in. The Jedi's blue eyes briefly landed on the Darksaber, which was rested up in the corner.

_"This has to end."_

Mando's modulated voice filled the otherwise quiet cockpit, and Ada's features softened. Her lips parted, unable to repress the surge of emotion which engulfed her. His tone was low and calm, as though he was trying to control it.

"What?" the woman asked, her blue eyes finding his visor. There was a gentle innocence in them that made it much harder for Mando to _know_ what was coming.

 _"This_. We cannot do _this_ anymore. You and I both know we're taking it too far," he told her, still ever so quiet. "We have to stop eventually."

Ada listened to his words in a complete silence, her words escaping her for a long moment. She felt herself begin to suffocate, her lungs collapsing within her chest as she came to the realisation that she had been living in a very high-strung fantasy. Of course this wouldn't be forever - of course this was just a temporary companionship in place to rescue a child.

Ada's blue eyes watered, but she wiped the tears away stubbornly - even though he had already seen them. She attempted to close herself off from the Force in that moment, unwilling to feel his pain as well as hers. She knew that he felt at least something for her - but she knew it could not compare to how she felt.

"So tell me," she finally said after a long while, swallowing her melancholy. "After everything, do I mean _nothing_ to you? _After last night?"_

"Don't do this," he groaned beneath his helmet, but she could hear the torture in his voice.

"No, I think I _will_ ," she snapped, working herself up. Had she faced the Jedi trials and completed her fate, there is a chance that she might have reacted to this much better. But the fact of the matter was that she had rejected the Jedi Order long ago -- and attachment was not forbidden in her eyes. Nor was pain, fear or anger.

"Ada-"

"I don't understand," she continued. _"Why_ does this have to end _'eventually'?"_

The Mandalorian stared at her with sadness in his brown eyes, fighting against his own urge for tears to spill. He had thought that this would be easy - in fact, he had thought about this very moment just _weeks_ after they had met. He knew that they were growing closer, and he had always been prepared for this.

But now, it seemed he had severely underestimated how deeply he would devote himself to protecting her. Who would save her from herself, if not him?

"I think that you've stayed with me with the hope that we would become _more_. I should never have let you make that choice -- you belong at the **Jedi Academy** , where you are safe."

Ada's doe-eyes watered again upon hearing the words, and she got to her feet. Her breathing was almost erratic, and she knew that she was bordering into a long-awaited panic attack. And yet she didn't allow herself to descend into such madness, over a man. She couldn't, even if the love she had for him felt more powerful than the Force.

"You don't mean that," she said quietly.

"Ada, we can't _be_ anything. Please understand that."

The words took whatever breath was left from her lungs, and she realised that she no longer had the capacity to breathe. Her heart shattered into a thousand pieces, and a tear rolled down her cheek as she replayed them over and over. Ada knew herself that things could never be different - they were going nowhere. She had faced the reality so many times in her head, and yet nothing hurt more than hearing him say it.

Ada had never been in love before, and she hoped that she would _never_ love again.

The Jedi didn't say anything else. She lowered her gaze and walked into the belly of her ship, her blue eyes landing on the unique pistol laid on the table in front of her. An idea passed by her, and she finds herself scrambling together a piece of tattered paper, and an old pencil she hadn't used in months.

Her eyes lifted to the entrance of the cockpit, ensuring that he wasn't aware of her actions. And then, the young woman wrote down the words she hadn't dared to say since she realised. And even then, not in her own language.

_"Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, beskar kov'nyn."_   
_I love you, beskar head._

She folded the piece of parchment and tucked it into the trigger of his pistol; the one he had given to her weeks ago, on Nevarro. Her features ghosted happiness for a moment as she remembered, before she was encompassed by melancholy once again.

She hoped that in weeks, or perhaps even months, he would find the paper and be reminded of her. She couldn't allow herself to be forgotten, not by him. And most of all, she wanted him to know.


	22. CHAPTER 22: ret'urcye mhi

### CHAPTER 22: ret'urcye mhi

Ada hadn't spoken in several hours.

She had isolated herself to her private quarters, and cried until her throat ran dry and her eyes were raw with emotion. Her eyelashes felt almost permanently wet for a long while, feeling as though she was lost in the largest galaxy of all. The Jedi had given up everything to stay with the Mandalorian - and now, she had nowhere to go.

And now, she simply stared up at the ceiling of the ship with an emptiness lying at the very pit of her stomach. Nausea overcame her when she thought about the Mandalorian, and how quickly he had managed to consume her. They had been connected body and soul, by the Force or something even more profound.

For nothing.

_I'm surprised you know of my kind; we have all but vanished into the shadows since the Empire._

_I know the feeling._

The words that had begun everything hung over her head like a dagger, cutting deeper with each time she replayed the moment. How could it be that they were meant for failure, when she felt so deeply that he was her happy ending? She had waited so many years alone by the Seeing Stone - and he was the person who had saved her.

_For nothing._

Closing herself off from the memories, Ada drifted out of her room and into the cockpit. Her blue eyes landed on the beskar armour in the piloting seat, guiding the ship through the debris of what looked like an old Imperial cruiser. He was glancing down at a map periodically, and the Jedi came to realise that he was taking them somewhere.

"Where are we going?" she asked after a while, still stood behind him. Her voice was hoarse from being unused -- or perhaps from crying.

Mando noticed the change in her voice, and closed his eyes from behind the helmet. The thought of having caused her so much pain was intangible to him, but nothing could be done now.

 **"Mandalore."** He said.

For a moment, the Jedi's heart lifted as she considered the possibility that he wished to show her where he had come from - where he had been raised. And then she noted the sadness in his own tone, and realised that she was very wrong. This was his final destination: their final destination together.

"So is this what you do, Mando? _Fuck and fuck off?"_ she snipped, though there was less venom in the accusation than she intended.

His helmet moved to look at her, his chest tightening at the words. He wanted her to know that night had meant _everything_ to him - that it wasn't just sex. But he was leaving anyway, it was not the time to suddenly confess things like that. It would only serve to hurt her more.

"When we get there, I'll use the credits we earned from the New Republic to buy myself a new ship. And I won't need you anymore,"

"How can you _say_ that as though you're only here for Obs?"

 _"Obs?"_ He repeated, never having heard the name before. She might have, but he had to admit that he didn't always listen to her incessant rambling. She talked a lot.

"My ship. I named it after my father, Obi-Wan."

"I didn't know that was his name."

"I never _told_ you," she quipped, then looked away.

There was a brief moment of silence in which the two sank back into their melancholy, considering how close they were to saying the long awaited goodbye. Neither of them could hear the other's thoughts, but if they did they would be surprised by how painfully similar they were. They were wondering what they would say, and how they would say it.

How do you thank someone for making the galaxy less lonely, when you were about to leave them for good? How can you do so, without acknowledging the foolish irony in saying goodbye?

Ada recognised the familiar sound of her control system alerting them of a nearby planetary system, and she silently wondered to herself whether they were already reaching Mandalore. Curiosity was peeked when Mando steered into that direction, and she realised she was right. And then, the curiosity was crushed by overwhelming grief.

 _I can't say goodbye,_ she thought to herself, but there was no use. Once it was over, she could move on with life. It was just _something_ she had to get through - the most difficult conversation of her life. Just _something_.

The Jedi considered what she would do without the comfort in knowing he was there. Though she was a strong and powerful woman, she had to admit that she'd grown used to his constant presence. She felt safe and protected by him; she lived in the confidence that if anyone ever did hurt her, Mando would destroy them first.

And now she was going to be alone again. Well, not _quite_. Ada had come to the reluctant conclusion that once he left, she was going to search for Luke Skywalker and the child she had given to him; and she was going to fulfil her fate by completing her training. She didn't want to - _at all_ \- but she knew that her father would be disappointed by the path she had taken. And there was nothing else for her to do now.

Her blue eyes settled on the planet they were now approaching, appreciative of how unique it looked in comparison to others. It was not a forest planet, not a sand planet. It was a beautiful white-blue colour, and as they lowered into the atmosphere she realised that it was a cold planet. She had been raised in such a different landscape to Mando.

When the ship finally landed, and the engines ceased to purr, there was a silence in the cockpit. And for a dangerous length of time, nobody said anything.

Perhaps it was the simple fact that the Mandalorian was staring at his female companion, and attempting to remember every single finite detail of her beautiful features. Or perhaps it was the fact that Ada knew once somebody spoke, it was their _last_ conversation.

After several suffocating minutes, the silence was broken by Mando getting to his feet and taking a step forward, hovering as he turned to glance at Ada for one last time. He towered over her, waiting for _anything_. And then,

"You've broken my heart, Din."

Her words were soft, and she turned in her chair to look up at him. Beautiful blue eyes shone with tears that threatened to spill.

"I know." From behind the beskar helmet, his brown eyes closed in pain. The Jedi could sense in the Force that he was suffering in the same way that she was, and she wondered why he was putting himself through this goodbye if it hurt so much. He already regretted leaving her, but he knew that it was the right choice. She could sense every fluctuation of emotion within him, and knew the agony. Her next words were scolding.

"And what of _yours?_ In doing so, you've broken your own."

"I'm doing this so that you can be safe, and _free_. You need to serve a higher purpose. Travelling with me, it's no life for you."

_"I liked it."_

Mando let out a breath heavy with melancholy as he reached out, and brushed his fingers under her chin lightly. And then, he let go. A tear spilled, lips parted in disbelief. She wanted to cherish the touch forever.

"Ret'urcye myhi, Jedi." _Goodbye._

Ada closed her blue eyes. _"May we meet again, beskar head."_

_an: ouch that hurt to write. 3 chapter to go tho !!! idk what im going to do without this story. read it and notice the plot holes, i guess_


	23. CHAPTER 23: stand still

### CHAPTER 23: stand still

The feeling of loneliness encompassed the Jedi almost the second she was alone on her ship, and her heart fell upon facing the very profound truth that she was once again on her own. A month had passed in the constant companionship of the Mandalorian, and she hadn't realised quite how _heavy_ his presence was until it was gone.

Ada's blue eyes shifted around the ship that she had not piloted herself in a very long time, whilst her mind landed on one very melancholy question: had it _really_ only been a month?

The month had passed by so rapidly, and yet also so painfully slowly. Ada had grown so used to having Mando around that sometimes she found it difficult to believe he wasn't always there. His presence had made everything so much lighter -- they had shared her problems, responsibility, everything. And in the end, they had also shared knowledge of her past.

Her blue eyes watered, her throat aching with the urge to cry. Though she didn't allow herself the catharsis; crying would only make it more real, that he really was gone. He was _truly_ lost forever.

She could feel in the Force that he had disappeared into the white blue of his home planet without looking back, with the Darksaber and beskar spear tied on his back. The pistol that had been laid on the table had also disappeared, taking _every_ evidence that he was ever there. His signature felt so far away now, and the distance left an emptiness in her soul.

Ada let out a sigh as she sat down in his chair, feeling the warmth of where he had been. Her blue eyes closed for a moment, repressing the wave of loneliness again. And when she opened them again, she was not alone.

_Blue on blue._

Her own eyes stared back at her with a soft familiarity, and her heart threw itself against her ribs. Petal lips parted, as she stared at her father sat in the passenger seat beside her. He was smiling, though she saw the worry in his piercing eyes.

"Father?" she whispered.

She felt that the Force within her was stronger than ever, an energy swirling around the two as they looked at each other. The phenomenon was weakening her, but she found that it was worth it just to see him again. To see Obi-Wan Kenobi in the flesh. 

"My sweet girl," he said quietly, raising his eyebrows. "All this, because of a _man_? I thought I raised you stronger than that."

"I know," she responded. "I'm sorry. I just feel a little lost."

"Have trust in the Force, Addy," her nickname on his lips left her with a lifted heart and brightness in her eyes, something she hadn't felt in a few days. The nostalgia of seeing her father again was enough to forget everything that was causing her suffering.

"I do," she reassured, but they both noticed the way her voice faltered. She looked at him for a few seconds, and her features softened. "I miss you."

"I am _always_ here, my girl," he said with another smile. "You must find me."

"How?"

"In time, you will learn," he told her. "With patience, and hope."

There was a moment in which Ada deliberated over her next question, though it was something that had been on her tongue for years now; the question had haunted her, something she had always been afraid of.

"Are you proud of me?" she whispered. "I never-"

"My pride suffocates me," he interrupted her with the warmest words of truth. Ada's mouth turned as she stared at her father, hearing everything she had hoped to hear ever since his passing. "You may not have passed the trials, but you are _everything_ I wanted you to be. You are a Jedi at _heart_. And the time has come to find where you belong."

For some reason, her heart sank a little. "The Jedi Academy?"

The ghost of her father faded out lightly, but she caught the smile. _"With those you find home."_

The ambiguous answer left the Jedi confused, and she could no longer her father sat beside her. The young woman was once again alone in the cockpit, and she turned her gaze to the control panels. She didn't know where home was - or _who_ home was. But his previous words comforted her: _find trust in the Force._

She trusted that the Force would bring her where she needed to be.

Ada piloted her ship back to the other side of the galaxy, guiding herself to the only place she felt drawn to other than the forest moon of Endor. In a sad way, she found herself excited to see the planet again -- the planet she had spent months living on. She knew that it was the only place she could be found by other Jedi - but she also knew that the planet was haunted by memories of Din Djarin.

She lowered herself down into the atmosphere, her blue eyes grazing over the beautiful landscape she had missed so ardently. The rocks and short grass that characterised Tython looked exactly like they had when she left, as well as the vines and moss which grew on them. The sky was bright blue and briefly clouded, like always - and the air felt fresh.

And most of all, the Force called out to her like it always had. It engulfed her very being, swaddling her in the comfort of its strong presence. Tython was such a beautiful place.

Ada landed, and found her way to the Seeing Stone.

She wasn't sure what compelled her to journey there; certainly not _so_ soon after leaving Mandalorian, when it only carried painful memories. And yet, here she was - in the very place where it had all started. Ada swallowed, the rocks crumbling beneath her steps as her blue eyes stared at where he had once stood.

He had held his pistol in her very direction, threatened by her presence. She smiled, as she recalled how quiet and cold he had been with her at first. Though, he still was on some occasions.

_Not anymore._

Ada's blue eyes watered, but she stubbornly moved her fingers beneath her eyes and wiped away the tears before they wettened her cheeks. Their first ever conversation played in her head, and her chest ached with emptiness.

_Are all Jedi so infuriatingly persistent?_

_Are all Mandalorians so infuriatingly stubborn?_

The Jedi, in her brief melancholy, collapsed to her knees and closed her blue eyes -- and she finally allowed herself the satisfaction of crying. Repressing such emotion was not human, and was not healthy. Sooner or later, she would have to give in. And so she did.

And it became that the Jedi lived the next week in agonising repetitiveness, wondering how in Maker's name she had spent months doing the same thing over and over. _Wake up, find food, walk around, repeat._

Every day, she found herself wishing that he was there - if not for the comfort of his presence, for at least their witty conversations and his cold remarks. She missed his cold yet amused tone when he spoke to her, and the way he reprimanded her for reckless behaviour. And she missed having somebody that made her feel safe and protected at all times.

She just missed him. And her world was at a stand still.


	24. CHAPTER 24: mandalore

### CHAPTER 24: mandalore

On the white planet of Mandalore, Din Djarin lived in very much the same emotional suffering as his old Jedi companion. His thoughts often became transfixed on memories of her, and it was becoming overwhelming _just_ how much he missed the woman.

He knew that the depression would pass. He knew that heart break was often a natural part of life, and that time would heal both of them. Yet still, he found himself wondering where she was now, and if she missed _him_ the same. Din had a feeling he knew where she might have returned to, but he couldn't be so sure. After all, she had been the most _unpredictable_ woman in the galaxy's history.

Even time hadn't offered him that privilege - of knowing her well enough to predict her next moves.

The Mandalorian was sat inside his private quarters, on the edge of his bed. Oftentimes he could busy himself enough throughout the day to distract from the thoughts of her -- but night time was the worst. Ada Kenobi very much enveloped his being each night, with memories of her dry remarks and beautiful appearance refusing to die.

Din intended to leave Mandalore soon, and busy himself with bounty hunting once again. Ruling a planet was proving surprisingly tedious and not the kind of thing he had ever wanted. His plans were to offer Bo-Katan his place, a woman he knew would gladly accept. Though, the matter of the Darksaber was a different thing.

Din got to his feet and retrieved the pistol from his armour, which was hung lazily over a golden chair by the wall. He then walked across his room toward the wash basin, with the sole intention of cleaning the weapon he cared so deeply about.

Clean, undamaged weaponry was important to the Mandalorian; even if Ada had often made cruel, mocking remarks about it.

 _What do you think I was doing,_ licking _it?_

_There he goes, again with the pistol inspecting._

_Get a room with your_ rifle _, Mando._

Din scoffed from behind the beskar helmet he wore, even alone in the privacy of his room. Though it caused him sadness, thinking about some of her comments sometimes served to _relieve_ it. She was always so lively and relentless with her sarcasm, so _annoying_.

His hands moved to the tap and turned it on, watching as the water began to flow out. But something caught his brown eyes, and he glanced at his pistol with a frown. It seemed like there was a tattered piece of parchment sticking out of the trigger.

He gave the paper a small tug and unravelled it, his eyes canning the words that were written so clearly across it. The vice around Din's heart tightened, his lungs constricting with a pain which burned so deeply. His thoughts danced around the woman he adored, realising now more than ever that he would never stop loving her. The pain would never end.

On the parchment, read the words _Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum, beskar kov'nyn._

Din swallowed; the note _had_ to have been her, nobody else had access to his weapons. It was _her_.


	25. CHAPTER 25: seeing stone

###  CHAPTER 25: seeing stone 

The cooling wind of the planet Tython billowed against Ada Kenobi's dark hair, whistling against the rocks which littered the green landscape. Her heart was heavy as she moved through the short grass, which hissed beneath her feet and became moulded under her weight. Though her features were grave, she was finally meeting her destiny.

Her body moved into the direction of the Seeing Stone, with the sole intent of happening upon another Force user. The Jedi was tired of waiting, and tired of being haunted by her own thoughts. And so, she planned to finally take her place on the ancient stone and reach out to Luke Skywalker. It was time for her to come home.

Ada's innocent eyes scanned the area as she came across a familiar feeling somewhere within the Force, though she failed to place it. There was definitely something different which settled into her, as though the Force knew something which she didn't. She continued upon her path, climbing effortlessly up the very large mountain until she reached the very top.

And then, her breath escaped from her when her gaze met the familiar visor of a Mandalorian helmet.

Din Djarin stood at the other side of the Seeing Stone, a perfect mirroring of how they had first seen each other. She stilled on the cold concrete, and said nothing as she stared in disbelief at the man a few metres away. The Jedi found herself wondering whether this was some kind of premonition - it couldn't _possibly_ be real.

"You know me?" His words shattered the silence between them, and she found that his voice melted her just the same as it always had. Quiet, and low.

Ada was expressionless as she processed his words, and it was quite clear that she was in a state of shock. Though, it did not stop her mind from racing -- she thought about what he had said, and connected it quickly to the note she had written before he left. Mando'a was ambiguous-- many words had more than one meanings, if not three. The context was what made the language.

The Jedi broke out her trance and hesitantly closed the three metres of distance into two. "You _know_ that isn't what I meant in the note." She finally said, staring at the visor.

A heavy breath left the helmet, and she could sense the warmth which flooded him. Her own body was trembling with nerves; she hadn't thought he would _ever_ confront her about the written words. She had just wanted him to know, at least once.

"You _love_ me?"

Ada's tan features softened when she heard the doubt in his voice, and her next sentence was without hesitation.

"I love you with _every_ vesicle of my broken heart," she breathed, a tear spilling over her blue eyes.

There's a long silence, and Din moved in even closer to her. There was only a metre between them now, and she stared up at him longingly. She wondered what it would be like to kiss him in that moment; to _finally_ taste him on her lips. The Jedi was terrified of what was coming, and the Force lifted her with anticipation.

And then, the Mandalorian rose his hand to the helmet and began to lift it. Ada's lips parted and she glanced away in surprise, refusing even _now_ to see him.

"Look me in the eyes, Ada."

His raw voice was so _perfect_. The modulator did not change it much, but it sounded so much warmer, and _human_ without his helmet. And the way her name brushed his tongue - she melted. The baritone was her favourite lullaby. And then, she realised what he had said.

_"What?"_ she asked, her heart swelling in panic.

"Look at me."

Ada breathed out, "Din-"

The Jedi was caught off guard when two warm hands fell upon her face, and guided her to look directly at him. And when she does, her breath hitches and heart melts.

Blue eyes find brown; Ada is instantly reminded of the dream from weeks ago - of mahogany burning into honey - and she realises that all along it had been a warm premonition of the future. She had never seen eyes so soft and adoring before; filled with so much devoted emotion. Nobody had ever looked at her like this before - with such _longing_.

Din's tanned features were nothing short of perfection as she stared at his face; she longed for him to never wear the helmet again. His brown hair was just as unruly as before, and facial hair framed his jawline. He was beautiful.

Ada still trembled despite the warm sun shining down on them, and sensed the similar fear in his signature. Nobody had analysed him in such detail before - nobody stood so close.

The woman reached out and her slender fingers brushed against his cheek, thumb hooking beneath his chin. Din closed his eyes, his own heart melting with the gesture.

Then his eyes re-opened, and she noticed the tears in them.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hey."

There was a long pause, before Ada Kenobi's petal lips shifted into a smile.

"Does this mean I can't call you beskar head anymore?"

Din's expression shifted, and his smile was visible to someone else for the first time. His expression was _everything_ she imagined it to be all of those weeks, when she wondered how he looked at her. Adoring, yet disappointed in her dry humour. But it was still the most breath-taking smile she had ever seen.

"Can I kiss you?"

Ada's smile fell in surprise, and she stared at him for a second. _A kiss._ She had wanted to feel his lips for so long now, it had been the _only_ thing that had played on her mind every time the tension between them increased.

And now that the opportunity arose, her heart stopped in anticipation. Her blue eyes fell to his petal lips, and he took this as an invitation.

Din closed the gap fervently, finding her lips with a _burning_ passion. They crashed together, and he wrapped a large hand around the nape of her neck to keep her steady.

Ada moaned against his lips softly, her arms snaking around his shoulders and desperately pressing her body against his. She found that she couldn't quite get close enough. His free hand moved to her hip and pulled her further in, deepening the kiss.

And then all too quickly, Din pulled away. He was grinning down at her, flashing his beautiful teeth. And it was in the moment, that the Jedi realised the meaning of her father's words.

_With those you find home._  
The Mandalorian _was_ her home.

"Where do you want to go now, Jedi?"

His question filled her with warmth, and she stared up at him with adoring blue eyes. The idea of being alone with him again — of travelling the galaxy, just the two of them. There was nothing in the entire universe that she would rather do. Though, Ada had a feeling it wasn't going to be two of them for very long.

Her slender fingers grazed against her lower belly, and she smiled.

"Anywhere. I'll go _anywhere_ with you."

_a/n: she's finished!! thoughts? <3 also, if i write another mandalorian story, would you be interested?_

_thank you for reading to the end._

_this is the way 🪐☀️✨_


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